Lost in Vampire Knight
by perseverance-n
Summary: I just wanted to immerse myself in a different world but I should be careful what I wish for. SI-OC/Spoilers/Some AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This fanfiction is definitely an unusual one. Definitely a self-insert but it's got its uniqueness. This is my first Vampire Knight fanfiction, thus, I apologize beforehand if my limited knowledge reflects in this story.

Updated 11/27/18: As I write this story, I noticed I've been taking on a writing style (definitely different from other self-insert characters) that is realistic. If you're looking for fluff and something light, _I implore_ you not to read this fanfiction because honestly, I'm writing this fanfic to get my ideas out and people who leave reviews, because they don't like this story just tend to say whatever is on their mind and it comes out as a flame. **If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all.** Honestly, why bother to read a story if you don't like it? For the rest of you readers who have been showing your support, thank you so much!

 _ **Please leave no flames.**_

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight. I only own my original character.

 **Warning:** Characters are ooc. Definitely cannon divergence involved. This story is written to give a roller coaster of emotions and will get dark. Lastly, the grammar isn't all that great.

* * *

All my life I had been living with my head in the clouds. It was easy. I could escape into a different world through novels, anime or manga.

I was type of person who spent my time talking to my little sister about character flaws or praising authors for their brilliant story ideas. I wasn't into juicy gossip and I disliked comparing myself to people in the real world. As long as I went to school, did my homework, and did my household chores, I was good.

Besides that, the real world didn't hold any interest for me.

I just wanted to immerse myself in a different world but I should be careful what I wish for.

OoO

"You're kidding, right?" I asked my little sister as I drove her to school. It was the same routine for me every day. I dropped her to high school every morning since we lived far from it. I drove home, finished any last minute assignments, drove to college, attended a couple of classes, picked up my little sister from school, drove home, cooked dinner for my family and ended my day with doing more homework. Then, I woke up the next day repeating the same process.

It was like I was living the same day over and over again.

Only my sister made everything interesting. Recently, I got her into anime that I recommended to her, Vampire Knight. The moment we watched the first episode together, she was hooked. She was so hooked that she read the whole manga since it was completed. I couldn't touch it after what happened in the end of the anime. Yuki discovered she was a pureblood and she decided to leave Cross Academy with Kaname. I wanted them to have their happy ending. Personally, I preferred if Yuki was with Kaname.

But my little sister thought differently. She wanted Yuki to be with Zero.

"No, that's what happened in the end. Yuki sacrifices herself to bring Kaname back to life. He's human. Remember he turns into an antagonist and baits Yuki and Zero. Then he sacrifices himself by tearing his heart out and throwing it in the furnace. So technically he was dead until Yuki brings him back to life," she notified me.

"Ah, you see, this is why I can't bring myself to read Vampire Knight. Everything still ends in a tragedy," I sighed. "As childish as it seems, I will pretend that Yuki is still with Kaname and they're living happily ever after."

"But you can't cancel out the close relationship she has with Zero. He suffered so much with the loss of his family, him fighting off turning into a vampire, him feeding off of Yuki, and don't forget that he had to kill his own brother." Why did my sister have to be the logical one?

Why did I have to be the dreamer?

Weren't our roles suppose to be reversed or something?

She acted more mature than me and she was only fifteen years old, close to the age of Yuki and the others from Vampire Knight.

"Okay, how about we have two Yuki's?" I joked as I clutched the steering wheel in the car. We were almost to her school. I had to make two left turns and we would arrive in front of her high school.

"That's not funny," my sister said seriously. She crossed her arms over her chest in the passenger seat next to me.

"I'm kidding. Maybe, it's better she was with both of them. It just seems wrong that she has to die in the end to bring back Kaname, though. Shouldn't the dead be left alone?"

"Seriously, Kaname may have been a dominating, manipulative type of person, but he did everything in the best interest for the hooded woman and protecting Yuki."

"The hooded woman?" I questioned.

"Oh gosh!" My sister rolled her eyes. "Seriously, you have to read Wikia if you're not interested in reading the Vampire Knight manga." She inhaled a deep breath. "The hooded woman was a pureblood that Kaname knew in the past. Apparently, he was an ancestor of the Kuran family. He woke up when Rido sacrificed Juri's and Haruka's first son to the ancestor. He and the hooded woman were protecting the humans in a time when humans were close to extinction."

"Oh," I said, sounding stupid. I turned on the indicator to make my first left turn. "So does that mean Kaname is really not Yuki's brother?"

"Yep," my sister sounded proud. She knew something I didn't. "They're related but they're not siblings."

"Oh, okay," I said while bobbing my head. "I can live with that. Not many people like the idea of them being siblings. Although, I still like them together."

"Uhhh…" my sister puffed out air. "That's another matter entirely."

"Yeah, and I can get into a whole lecture about vampires who are sires that gave their blood to their mates and still ended up being with them. That will be considered incest as well," I said with a small smile displaying on my face. I made a next indication to make a left turn.

"Sometimes, you can be scary," she replied.

"Only when I want to be," I remarked coolly. I pulled the car in front of her school. She unbuckled her seatbelt and reached in the backseat to grab her backpack. "See you at 2:50."

She saluted me before opening her door. Once she exited the car, I stayed in place, watching as she entered the yard to get into the building. When I thought she was a good distance away, I drove away from the high school with a mental checklist of things I needed to complete for the day.

OoO

It began snowing around 11:12 a.m. The weather forecast warned people that the weather was only going to get worse. At the end of the day we should get thirteen inches of snow. I was pretty worried. College canceled classes but my little sister was still in her school. I didn't know whether I should wait until the normal time to pick her up or if I should pick her up earlier than usual.

Besides picking her up, my Toyota Corolla only had back wheel drive, which wasn't good enough to drive in the snow. But I didn't have a choice. Both our parents worked in the city and they finished work very late. I was the only person available to pick her up.

"Screw it," I muttered to no one. I was going to pick her up early. I left the college building to be smacked in the face by some cold winds. Snow was falling heavily from the dark gray sky. Some cars on the road was already skidding as I noticed the roads were already sleety.

I had to hurry up to pick up my sister. A traffic light turned red. I took it as my cue to hurriedly walk across the street. But I wasn't paying attention because if I did, I would have been able to stop within my tracks to save my own life.

Instead, a car hurled into me. My backpack went flying into the air. The next thing I knew, I was blanketed in darkness.

OoO

Snowflakes fell in whispers around me. The dark sky was covered in a stormy gray as the ground was blanketed in a white sheet of snow. I raised both my gloved hands to examine some snowflakes. They were pure white, fragile and small, like myself.

"Where am I?" I asked no one.

I raised my head as a cold breeze drifted by me.

"You're with me," another small voice answered me back.

I blinked my eyes at a small figure standing a couple inches away from me. A female child with chocolate eyes, mocha hair, dressed in warm clothing fit for snow stared at me with blank eyes. I blinked again. Why did the girl look so familiar?

Then, her eyes widened and I saw a reflection in them of another person approaching us. Something inside me told me to protect the little girl from the stranger. Before I could comprehend my actions, I turned and faced the intruder. My eyes narrowed on a man dressed for the cold weather. His pale hair blew in the wind. His lips twisted in a cruel smile.

"Little girls, are you lost?" He was a creepy man. He looked like a serial killer, who lured his prey in with good looks and a hypnotic voice. If I was someone else, I would have been entranced by him. But his glowing red eyes was a dead giveaway that he wasn't human. Humans didn't have red eyes unless they had on contacts.

"Let me drink your blood." A large hand reached out and grasped the crown of my head. He licked his lips in anticipation.

My eyes widened as my heart pounded loudly in my ears.

Did I hear the man right? He wanted to drink my blood.

Were vampires real?

No, I had to be dreaming. If I shut my eyes and re-open them, I would find myself back in my world. Right?

His grip tightened on me and I gasped in pain.

"Nia," the other girl whispered.

"Stay back!" I warned her. "Don't get any closer."

The vampire was crushing my skull until sharp claws pierced my scalp. Blood began to leak down the side of my forehead and cheeks.

"Nia!" The girl was getting desperate.

The vampire shifted his attention to the child. "Look at me, you scumbag!"

He looked back at me and his eyes gleamed a darker red. Using a pointer finger, he traced along the side of my face. He lifted the appendage, covered in my blood, to his mouth and greedily sucked the crimson liquid.

"Well, a foul mouth little girl like yourself tastes so good. I'm going to indulge in your blood and then shred you into pieces." His voice got darker as his deranged face moved closer to me. I could feel his hot breath on my cheek.

"Nia!" the child cried out.

This was better for me. I always wished to have the courage to save someone else besides myself. I was finally getting the chance to prove my worth. I was protecting an innocent child.

"Nia!"

I shut my eyes as I waited for the inevitable when suddenly the crushing weight on my head vanished. A scream pierced the night air. I opened my eyes to see blood raining from the sky, staining my gray coat, white stockings and light gray boots.

A broken body lay on the snowy ground.

I turned my attention to the male standing before me. He put a hand to his mouth. His tongue tasted the drips of blood from his fingers. I could only assume that was what he was doing since he had his back to me. I shifted my gaze to the child behind me. She was on her knees. Her expressionless eyes drank in everything.

"Such a disgrace to vampires," he murmured.

So vampires did exist and somehow I ended up meeting two of them in one night.

"Okay, I can wake up now!" I called to no one. Both the handsome guy and the pretty little girl turned to stare at me. They blinked in unison. Instantly, I noted they look alike. They had the same color hair and skin. They could pass off as siblings. "I mean it! This is getting ridiculous!"

The guy approached me with slow steps; his feet making crunching sounds in the snow. His eyes glowed scarlet as I finally got a good look at his face.

He looked familiar. Like….

Kaname Kuran. No way!

He existed in Vampire Knight. But if he was Kaname, then the female child should be Yuki Kuran, his little sister.

What planet did I fall on when I went to sleep?

I cradled my head in my hands while I fell down on my knees. Instantly, my stockings got wet from the snow. But that didn't matter.

"Nia," the girl said.

My head moved from side-to-side in a furious manner.

"Nia."

I refused to answer the child. I just wanted to wake up in my world.

"Nia," another voice, a masculine one with a smooth and hypnotic tone called to what I might assume was my name. Cold fingertips grazed my tender throat and I immediately froze. All air left my lungs. His fingers glided across my neck to under my chin. Then, he titled my head back until I was helplessly gazing into red-brown orbs.

"Nia," he repeated.

"Kaname-sama," I whispered before my world tilted.

OoO

"Are you sure this is what you want?" the vampire hunter asked Kaname. The pureblood vampire stared at the two children who were idly sitting on the couch in the living room. Both girls were different from each other as night differed from day. One child had long mocha tresses and large chocolate eyes, the other one had short silver hair and round scarlet eyes. No matter how different they appeared on the outside, they were still family, cousins to be exact. And they were both purebloods who turned into humans.

Kaname had been entrusted by Juri -the woman he called mother- to ensure their safety while they lived as humans. As it was, in their current state, they were vulnerable and there was a good chance that Rido Kuran was going to come after them for his own personal vendetta, especially since the child with the pale hair was his daughter.

"Yes. They can't stay with me since I will be staying with the Ichijo family until I am able to move back to the Kuran estate. I need someone I can trust to protect them. The next few years will be taxing since Juri and Haruka are no longer part of this world. I will have to answer to the Council." _Not to mention be under scrutiny by the Council while being raised by the Ichijo family_ , was something he mentally added.

"They are welcome to stay," the vampire hunter known as Kaien Cross answered. Then his expression turned dreamy. "Besides I always wanted to have a family and having two daughters to raise and dote on is an honor."

Kaname nodded his head and watched with amusement as the man's expression changed as fast as lightening but he was careful to school his expression to one of indifference.

"Besides I am indebted to Juri. Raising her two daughters is the least I can do," the blond man replied seriously.

"Actually, one of them is her daughter. The girl with brown hair is her only precious daughter and my sister, Yuki Kuran."

"And the other one?" the hunter asked.

"She is our cousin, Nia Kuran."

Kaien raised a pale eyebrow.

"She is the daughter of Juri's older brother, Rido Kuran and the pureblood, Shizuka Hio."

The man almost spluttered. He was in the midst of making tea, which Kaname politely declined. The vampire hunter had a big sense of imagination when making food. Kaname didn't want to imagine what kind of herbs he added into the tea he drank. "Are you saying she's a pureblood too?"

"She was a pureblood. She's human now like Yuki."

Kaien finished heat up the water with the contents of tea inside the kettle. He poured the contents into a mug. "Are you sure you don't want any?"

"I'm fine."

"Positive?"

Kaname simply stared at the blond man. "I was just wondering," the vampire hunter muttered.

Then Kaname turned his attention on the two children. The kitchen wasn't far away from the living room. He made sure to not openly gaze at them as he wanted to observe them discretely from afar. Yuki, he noticed, had a blank expression on her face as she poked at the pudding on the coffee table. Apparently, Juri's spell to turn her into a human made her forget the first five years of her life. She was like a newborn baby in a child's body. Everything was new for her.

On the other hand, Nia, remained a mystery. She only appeared in their lives moments before Rido entered the Kuran estate with the intentions of getting Yuki. He recalled how Shizuka, bloody and battered, trailed her way into the snow, carrying a bundle close to her chest. She then pleaded to Juri and Haruka to take care of her daughter, warning them she was also the daughter of the dark Rido and he was after them because he wanted to use their child for the same purpose as Yuki. Kaname was angered by the news and did feel the stirrings of protectiveness as Shizuka revealed her daughter. Then, in her last attempts to save her daughter, she sacrificed herself to turn Nia into a human. Juri got the idea of turning Yuki into a human from her.

But what he could tell from examining Nia was something was off about the girl. She didn't act like Yuki, a child who forgotten her former life. Instead, there was a keenness in her scarlet eyes. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something more to her. Like now, he saw how the white haired girl took the spoon off the table and showed the girl how to eat the pudding. How could she remember such a simple task when Yuki didn't know how to do it?

"Strange, how the silver haired child knows how to use a spoon." Kaien noted. He simply voiced the same thought Kaname had. "If she drank blood, she wouldn't know how to use human utensils."

"Unless her mother had her eat human food." It wasn't out of the ordinary for vampires to eat human food. They could digest the solid food but they couldn't live on it like how they lived off of blood for sustenance.

"Oh, I see. I would think that Hio sheltered her child like what your parents did for your sister." Kaname turned his gaze on the blond man wearing spectacles. The man raised his hands in the air and began waving them around frantically. "I mean she is Rido's child. The pureblood will want her back."

"You have a point." Kaname's dark eyes moved to his hands. "Now that you mention it, Hio never announced having a daughter to the Vampire Society. It came as a shock to us when she left her only daughter under our care." Kaname said "our" to represent Juri and Haruka.

"Hmmm…. There are a lot of unanswered questions, but I'm assuming they will remain that way."

Kaname nodded his head as he made a gesture to leave. "I leave them in your care."

"You can rely on me," the vampire hunter said a bit too cheerfully.

If Kaname didn't have to appear stoic in front of other people he wasn't familiar with, he would have slightly shaken his head at Kaien's antics. But there were a lot of things he had to look into such as protecting Yuki and Nia from a distance. Until the time was right, the Vampire Society didn't have the right to know that two young purebloods existed. The Council would definitely take advantage of them.

His eyes hardened as his hands clenched into fists.

No one was going to touch his precious sister and the other girl. Not as long as he lived.

He strode to the front door when he felt a tug on his coat. He halted and glanced over his shoulder. He saw his young and adorable sister holding on to the end of his coat. "Are you leaving now?" she asked him while she blinked owlishly at him.

His eyes softened on her. "Yes, I have to go."

"Will you come back?"

He turned around and slowly knelt in front of the child as not to scare her away. "Yes," he said. "I will come back to visit you and your cousin soon."

"Okay," she beamed at him. It was the first sincerely expressed emotion that flashed across her cute face.

Tenderly, he patted her head. "Be a good girl for me."

She bobbed her head. Kaname's eyes strayed to the other girl who stood at a distance, watching them warily. The warmth left his eyes as he nodded his head to her. He and Yuki had a close relationship but he was uncertain how to treat the other girl. Until he learned more about her, he would be careful how he acted with her.

Then, he remembered her words before she fainted in the snow. _"Okay, I can wake up now! I mean it! This is getting ridiculous!"_ What did she mean by those words? Did she think was in some dream?

She also called him by his name when he never revealed it to her. He saw the look in her scarlet eyes, as though she recognized him.

It was only an assumption, but, perhaps by Hio sacrificing herself Nia didn't lose all her memories. She thought she was living in a dream.

Maybe the child thought her mother was still alive.

But assumptions were assumptions and Kaname was knowledgeable enough not to only go by theories. There had to be evidence. He would learn more about the silver haired child if he visited Kaien Cross more often. He made sure to put that thought on his priority list as he fluidly rose on his two feet and elegantly walked out of the Cross household into the snowy weather outside.

* * *

 **A/N:** So how did I do with the original character? Is she okay? Do you like the story so far? Since I've never wrote a story with an original character before, I'm a bit nervous. *Crosses fingers.*


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the positive reviews! I am so grateful! I was nervous about bringing out this idea and you all have been supportive. And thank you so much for adding this story to your favorite and follow list. Thank you! *Bows.*

*Put hands together.* Also, I apologize for the little changes I'm constantly making. The little edits are to help the story flow better and I'm trying to find the right image to represent Nia Kuran. Thanks again. :)

* * *

We -Kaname, Yuki and I- were at what I could assume to be at Kaien Cross' house. The man looked to be an eccentric, wearing what appeared to be a long green poncho, dark gray pants, black boots, and shiny spectacles. He greeted us with a big smile on his face. What was it with the deadly males appearing innocent in Vampire Knight? If I didn't know better, I would've fallen for the vampire hunter's trick. He was lethal. His innocent looks were a charade to deceive people.

Instantly, I knew I didn't trust him.

Both males left us girls alone in the living room to discuss important stuff in the kitchen. Already, the scene was playing differently from the original version of Vampire Knight. Yuki would be poking at the pudding that was on the table with her finger and it was Kaname who attempted to show her how to eat the food before she noticed his sharp canine. Also, Kaname discussed his reason for Yuki to stay with Kaien in front of her.

The beginning events – from when Yuki and I were saved from the Level E vampire and now- were being altered, which meant more changes would be in store for the next sequence of events.

I, being in the world of Vampire Knight, was effecting what would happen next. "This isn't happening," I whispered as I shook my head. "This isn't my world. I'm going to wake up from a nap on the couch and my little sister is going to question me about what we should make for dinner."

I felt a small hand on my head and I looked up to see Yuki smiling at me. I blinked my eyes. A stray tear leaked down my cheek. Her little finger wiped the tear away. "No cry. Be happy," she told me. Then she patted my head.

Another role reversal. She was the mature one, a five-year girl with amnesia. And I was the child, a person who remembered another life.

I put my hand on top of her hand and I tried my best to be cheery for her. "I will be okay."

The child nodded and her lips curved in the sweetest grin, showing all her white teeth. I couldn't help the affection that warmed in my chest for her. I could understand why Kaname protected this girl. She was the epitome of purity and joyfulness. Something whispered inside of me, a need to protect the little girl who despite the fact couldn't remember anything about the first five years in her life, she was willing to comfort me.

Gently, I removed her hand. "Thank you," I whispered so only she could hear me. The grin remained on her heart-shaped face before she pulled away and sat down on the couch.

We weren't exactly next to each other. I shifted to sit closer to the open kitchen as I watched from my peripheral vision how the two males interacted with each other. I could hear bits and pieces of their conversation but not enough to determine any definite answers.

"Welcome."

"Juri."

"Daughters."

"Cousin."

"Rido."

"Pureblood."

I did notice Kaname's eyes shifted to us. Then, he looked back at the vampire hunter with long ash blond hair tied at the nape of his neck. The man was making tea and I hoped that Kaname declined his offer of drinking the liquid. The man had a knack for inventing ways to make food. I could imagine the ideas for his tea making.

Then Yuki grabbed my attention as she began prodding the pudding on the coffee table. I sighed. I got up from my seat and moved closer to her. I took the spoon lying next to the pudding and held it while I demonstrated how to eat with it. "That's pudding, it's food. You don't use your finger to eat pudding. You use a spoon like this." I scooped a spoonful of pudding and lifted it to her mouth. "Say ah."

"Ah." The child followed my expression. I put the sweet, wobbly dessert in her opened mouth. She closed her mouth while scrunching her face. Apparently, Kaien made the pudding.

"Sorry," I apologized. "When I get older, I'll make you a better pudding."

The girl nodded. It was a first promise between us.

By then, Kaname left the kitchen and was elegantly making his way to the door. He appeared so young yet he still carried the same elegance as he did when he attended Cross Academy.

Hurriedly, I stood up with the girl. "Go to him," I pushed her. "Ask him if he will come back?"

Astonishingly, the girl did what I told her to do. She rushed after her brother and grabbed the end of his coat. She glanced up at him and asked in a cute little voice, "Are you leaving?"

"Yes, I have to go," he said gently. His unusually red-brown orbs soften at the sight of her.

"Will you come back?"

"Yes, I will come back to visit you and your cousin soon," he replied in a tender manner.

I felt as if my world froze over. "Cousin," I remembered hearing him say that word earlier. I was Yuki's and Kaname's cousin, which meant I was related to them somehow. Juri and Haruka were both their parents. Either one wouldn't have an affair or else I would be a half-sister. The only option left was Juri's and Haruka's older brother, Rido Kuran. I was his daughter.

Did Kaname know that Rido Kuran was my father?

Would he view me as a threat to Yuki?

Would he want to kill me?

Am I a pureblood like them or an aristocrat like Shiki?

What was I to him and Yuki?

There were so many questions and no way of getting answers. I had more reasons to be cautious around the pureblood. If he deemed me as a threat to Yuki in any matter -since she was his most precious person- then it was over for me.

I had to keep my distance from both him and Yuki.

Maybe it was better for me. I already made things complicated in Vampire Knight because I was in a world where I didn't belong.

I gazed at both of them with a new sense of wariness. If Kaname stepped one foot in my direction, I was going to bolt.

He patted Yuki's head like what she did for me. Then, he glanced at me and I noticed how the warmth and gentleness left his dark eyes. I felt disappointment overtake me but at least I got an answer to one of my questions. That one look said it all. I meant nothing to him and Yuki.

He nodded at me but I knew his gesture was all for show.

So I remained still. He turned his back to us and confidently strode out of the Cross household, leaving Yuki and me to stay with the eccentric vampire hunter.

OoO

I stared hard at myself in the bathroom mirror unable to imagine how I got my looks. I had short white hair with pinkish highlights that barely hit my shoulders, round red eyes, a pert nose and thin pink lips. Clearly, I got my eyes from Rido. He had mismatched eyes: one red and the other blue. My red eyes belonged to him. As for my other features, that was a mystery. I didn't know any other characters that had my hair color. The only two that came to mind were Zero Kiryu and Shizuka Hio. Then, I shook my head at the possibility; which was highly unlikely to happen. Zero would be arriving at the Cross household in five years. Shizuka Hio was the pureblood who attacked his family. There was no way I could be related to her.

Didn't the Council keep her as a prisoner due to her beastly nature?

Yep, there was no way I could be related to another pureblood. I had Rido Kuran's blood flowing through my veins. That gave Kaname and Yuki enough reason to hate me.

If I had Hio's blood flowing through my veins as well…. Furiously, I shook my head at such a thought. But I couldn't help think about Zero. He would hate me too.

I curled up into a small ball on the toilet seat.

What in the world had I fallen into?

And worse of all, I couldn't talk to anyone about my situation.

OoO

To say I was upset was an understatement. I was thoroughly pissed off, not that it mattered to Kaien. I refused to call the ash blond man a father. I had parents and they deeply cared for me. They just worked long hours to make ends meet and I helped them out as much as I could.

It felt like I was reliving my former life. There were many different tasks that Yuki needed help with. She didn't know how to put on her own clothes, how to make a sandwich to eat, or how to make up her own bed. Constantly, she stuck around me. She followed my every move. Then, there were the late nights that Kaien went out for vampire hunter business. I could only imagine how many times he left the poor child home alone in the real Vampire Knight.

In a way, I was grateful to be by her side. I realized that Yuki was lonely since she only knew Kaname. Even her child mind comprehended that she could trust him.

But there were moments when I missed my old life. Like now. I examined Yuki as she tried her best to put on her clothes. I inhaled and exhaled a breath as I saw her collapse on the floor in a rumpled mess. The cream dress covered her head. One sock was on her foot; the other one lay on the ground next to her bed. The dark pink sweater she struggled to put her arms through the sleeves somehow was tied at her waist.

Yuki reminded me of the time when my little sister tried to don on her jacket in Pre-K. My little sister made circles with putting one arm through the sleeve like a cat chasing its own tail. In the end, I helped her put on her jacket.

In the end, I had to help Yuki put on her clothes. "It must have been hard for you," I whispered. "To take care of yourself when you were alone."

"No, I have you," the brown haired girl replied while she innocently looked at me with chocolate eyes.

"Come here." I crooked my finger at her. She half dragged and half crawled to me. I bit my lip to suppress my laughter. When she got to me, I helped her stand up. "All right, let us see if we can put on your clothes the right way." I helped untangled the sweater from around her waist and to refit the dress to fit on her small frame. Once I was able to put her arms through the sleeves, I heard voices beyond our bedroom door.

"Yuki, can you sit on the bed?" I gently asked her.

"Yep," the child answered me. She sat down on the bed. I went across the room to grab the other sock on the ground. I returned to Yuki and stooped before her. I easily slipped the sock on her foot. "And that is how you dress yourself Yuki. The dress is a one piece that covers most of your body. The sweater keeps you extra warm since it's cold outside and the socks keeps your feet warm too. You got it?"

"Yep, Nia." Yuki beamed at me and I had the sudden urge to hug her. She really reminded me of my little sister. I turned away from her.

I couldn't allow myself to get too close to her.

By then, the door opened and both Kaname and Kaien stood on the threshold. They blinked in unison at us. I wondered if Kaien made up a lie to get Kaname here to visit his sister. Too bad he couldn't gush on Yuki's futile attempt of dressing herself.

I walked away from the child to sit on my bed, which was on the opposite side of the room when I felt small arms wrapped around my shoulders.

"Aww, don't you see that, Kaname? My two daughters get along great!" the vampire hunter enthused about us. My hand itched to get an object so I could hurl it at his face. Instead, I settled for putting my hands over Yuki's and fondly pulling her hands apart. Then, I faced her and pointed at Kaname. The girl exchanged looks between me and Kaname.

Oh gosh! Things weren't looking good. She was suppose to be attached to her brother, not me.

I pointed to her brother again and I hugged the empty air in front of me. She finally bobbed her head like the tiger ornament -which its head nodded vigorously- that my college professor kept on her desk. Then, she dashed to Kaname, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist. Her laughter bubbled in the air.

"I see they formed a close bond with one another," Kaname said. He returned her hug affectionately while his eyes sparkled with mirth. Only with her he revealed his true emotions.

I could never hope to elicit any type of feelings from him.

Instead, I was an outsider.

Kaname's young face twisted into a frown as I felt his stare on me. "Something bothers me, though."

"What is it?" Kaien asked. He diverted his attention to the pureblood.

"Doesn't Nia talk?"

"No," and "Yep," were the replies from Kaien and Yuki.

Kaname glanced down at the little girl. "Nia talks to you?"

"Yep," Yuki smiled brightly. "She shows me how to do a lot of things."

She pulled away from her brother's arms and returned to my side. Suddenly she grabbed my hand and she put her face on my shoulder. I could only imagine the type of picture we presented; the angel and the devil.

But her answer threw me off. "I love her very much." I whipped my head to her, shock evident on my face. Her chocolate orbs were shining with an intensity that I closed my eyes to hide my emotion. The child spoke with honesty to a point if I didn't keep my emotions in check, tears would be spilling down my cheeks.

Besides teaching her and doing tasks for her, I was cold and distant. Why would she still love me?

I felt Kaname's stare lingering on me, as though he was calculating how to use me in his grand scheme to get back at Rido, my dark father.

Unfortunately, that all I was to him. I was an insignificant piece on the chessboard, something he could discard at any time. To make myself last longer on the board, I had to become useful to Yuki.

His eyes left me and I inhaled a deep breath into my lungs. I opened my eyes and noticed the inquisitive look on his face. Did he even realize he was showing more emotion than usual? It had to be Yuki's doing. She lowered his guard.

"What about you?"

"No," Kaien said. He scratched his head with one of his hands. "I tried my best to get her to talk to me." The man started to burst into tears. "But she ignores me."

I rolled my eyes at his childish antics. Of course, I would ignore him. I knew his true persona, a deadly vampire hunter, like how I knew Kaname's persona, a powerful pureblood.

And I didn't like how I was situated in a vulnerable position with them; in a bedroom with two potent males.

I squeezed Yuki's hand.

Kaname didn't miss my motion. Instantly, his eyes went to our linked hands and I glimpsed the deadly predator he was.

"Maybe we should spend more time together," Kaname suggested. Yuki's expression lightened up on hearing that she could spend more time with her brother. She already idolized him at such a young age.

I turned my face away from him as I let go of Yuki's hand. The girl frowned at me. "Nia," she said my name. I felt my heart getting heavy.

It was childish on my part but I wanted to have nothing to do with Kaien or Kaname. I reminded myself that I was an outsider. Anymore participation on my part would ruin everything in Vampire Knight.

My bed was in the corner with neat covers and comfortable pillows. I pulled back the sheets and slipped into bed.

"Nia," Yuki called out.

I didn't bother to answer her. I covered from head-to-toe with the blanket and shut my eyes to escape from Vampire Knight.

OoO

Later on that night, someone tossed the blanket from my body and got into the bed with me. My body tensed. Instantly, I smelled lavender and roses and recognized Yuki's scent. Her frail arms surrounded me as her forehead pressed against my shoulder. She must have sensed me crying, because she was the only person who I would allow near me when I was depressed.

"It's okay," Yuki comforted me. "I'm here." This little girl was really something special. She was courageous to face Kaname and Kaien with her bright smiles and kind hearted to calm me down.

Kaname was right when he admitted to Akatsuki Kain in Cross Academy that Yuki was precious to him.

And for his and the child's sake, I was going to protect Yuki.

"I will make sure Rido won't get you, Yuki," I promised. Her breathing was even, her body relaxed. She had fallen asleep.

OoO

"How long has she been giving you the silent treatment?" Kaname questioned the vampire hunter. The blond man had taken off his glasses and was wiping the lens with a cloth. He held his glasses to the light located on the ceiling in the living room before putting it on his face.

"Since the time you brought her here," he replied.

"Normally, I will disregard such behavior but Nia Kuran is an anomaly."

Kaien put a pointer finger at the bridge of his nose to keep his spectacles in place. "Now that you mention it, she's quite independent for a child her age."

"What do you mean?" the pureblood asked. He sat down on the couch while resting both elbows on his knees. He rested his chin on his threaded fingers.

"She makes sandwiches for herself and Yuki. She makes her bed and Yuki's bed every morning. She sets out their clothes and instructs Yuki how to put on her clothes. The other day, I saw her reading a book that was far advanced for someone her age."

Kaname's dark eyebrows raised in speculation.

"I mean it!" Kaien exclaimed. "She reads a thick novel without any pictures!"

"How do you know that?"

"I snuck in after her and checked the book. She had marked the page she left off."

Kaname leaned back on the couch. His hands lay limply at his sides. "Do you have the book?"

Kaien nodded his head. He went to the bookshelf and retrieved a thick hard book. He ambled back to the pureblood with the book in hand. Kaname took the book from the vampire hunter and began sifting through the pages. "Hmm…."

"A penny for your thoughts."

"Wuthering Heights is a classic."

Kaien bobbed his head. "I find it hard to belief, but I've seen her read this book more than once."

"Then it might confirm my beliefs."

"About what exactly?"

Kaname's lips quirked upward. "That's she a genius."

The vampire hunter's eyes widened.

"How else can you explain her independence and her reading this book?" Kaname closed the novel. He lifted it in the air to show the blond man.

"I saw the signs but I was hoping I was wrong. I want her to live a normal life."

Kaname set the book aside and leaned forward in his seat. "I want the same thing as well."

"So you're not going to take her with you?" the blond man inquired.

"As it is, she's cautious. Besides, I brought Yuki and her to you with the intention of keeping them safe." He didn't add that if Rido discovered his daughter was alive, there was a good chance that Yuki's life was in danger too. To guard one, he had to protect the other.

Kaien sighed in relief.

"There's also the fact that Yuki will be heartbroken if I take Nia with me."

The vampire hunter pinched his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "You're right."

And it worked out better for Kaname. If Nia was teaching Yuki how to do many things, Nia might be a good role model to his sister. They already formed a close bond from the way he saw Nia squeezing Yuki's hand. Yes, the closer they were, the more at ease Kaname could feel knowing that his sister was in capable hands.

"But we should keep an eye on her quietness. You should discover if she's only mute with us or if she acts the same with other people."

"I am not following." The blond man scratched his head.

"Enroll Yuki and her at an elementary school and see how they interact with others."

"Are you sure that's okay, considering the outside threat."

"Vampire attacks hardly happen during daylight hours," Kaname informed the vampire. "Both of them should be all right. Just make sure you don't leave them in shady places."

"All right."

Kaname stood up. He never took off his coat while he was in the Cross residence. Instead, he opted to make a quick appearance to see how the children were doing before he returned to his long tutoring sessions at the Ichijo estate. In fact, he couldn't stay long in Cross' home because there might be a good chance that someone was tagging his movements. If Rido was looking for the last remaining purebloods, Kaname should do his best to conceal their whereabouts.

Even if that meant not getting the chance to visit them often.

When the two purebloods turned into humans, their pureblood powers dispersed. Rido couldn't scent their blood easily unless he was in the same vicinity as them.

"Will you be visiting soon?" Kaien asked him.

"I'm not sure. It's probably better if I don't come here."

The man didn't say anything. Kaname took it as his cue to leave but right before he left, he could have sworn he smelled tears from one of the girls.

OoO

Two weeks passed and I saw a gradual change in Yuki's behavior. She still interacted with me but she withdrew from socializing with Kaien. I wondered if the change in conduct had to do with how I constantly ignored Kaien. Honestly, the vampire hunter was childish to a point I felt like I was babysitting him to make sure he didn't innocently kill us.

He had made another experimental dish and expected us to be his subjects. I glared at the bowl of soup where he added chopped up bananas and apples. The bananas were dissolving in the foul smelling soup. I didn't want to guess what other ingredients he added.

Tonight would be another rounds of making sandwiches until I was tall enough to manage the stove.

"Yuki, Nia? Food is ready!" he announced.

I was already standing by one of the chairs in the kitchen whereas Yuki was in the living room. She was peering through the frosted window as though she was waiting for someone.

Kaien, momentarily, stopped setting the kitchen table as he made his way to stand behind Yuki. "It's snowing outside again," he observed. He rested his large hands on her small shoulders. "Well, you won't have to worry about the snow or being in danger. As long as you stay in here, you'll be safe."

Yeah, more or so to keep us prisoners. The reason for Yuki's naivety later on in Vampire Knight was Kaname's and Kaien's tendency to shelter the girl. She never had the chance to explore the outside world by herself to help her mature. It seemed wherever she went, she had to be accompanied by someone. No wonder she felt like a child.

Well, I wasn't going to let Kaien keep me like a jailbird in his house. When I got the chance to break free, I would do it with no regrets. Outside Cross' home was Vampire Knight's world. I needed to research more information if I decided to use what I know to protect Yuki.

Kaien shifted his body and his face brightened up. "By the way you wouldn't believe it but the adaption papers went through and now I'm officially your father." He clapped his hands in eagerness. He pointed to me and Yuki. "You'll be both be Cross! So call me father!"

He put a hand to his ear as he waited for the brown haired girl and me to call him the forbidden word. I would sooner cut out my tongue than to call him that. Yuki just blinked her eyes and continued to stare lifelessly out the window.

In disappointment at not hearing our replies, he began to cry.

And I couldn't believe that I would be stuck with the immature Kaien Cross for the next eleven years of my life.

I really wanted to go back to my world.

But what will happen to Yuki? I strolled to the counter and grabbed the bread. I opened the fridge to get cold cuts from one of the shelves.

"Nia, aren't you going to eat the soup I made?" Kaien asked.

I craned my neck and glared daggers at him. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Tonight, Yuki and I were going to eat sandwiches for dinner like we did on most nights.

OoO

It was another dark and snowy day outside. The year marked a special night, the night Kaname rescued Yuki and me from the Level E vampire. The little girl was dressed with a furry white jacket, pink dress, white stockings and pink boots. I wore a white dress with a gray coat, gray stockings and black boots. The vampire hunter had a knack for making us dress feminine.

In my world, I dressed very comfortably, which consisted of shirts, jeans and sneakers. Even though I had long hair, I always tied my hair up in a knot. I couldn't wait for the chance I could break free from Kaien's chains. The first thing I was going to change was my appearance. I detested looking so girly.

We waited outside for Kaname to appear. Both of us had our hoods up to cover our heads from the snowfall. The moment Yuki discovered that Kaname was going to visit us, she got excited and hastily dressed in warm clothes to greet him outside. I had no choice but to follow her. She literally dragged me after her. I leaned against a tree with my arms folded across my chest. I lifted one leg up while I waited impatiently for the pureblood's arrival. The girl, on the other hand, waited with enthusiasm.

"Yuki, Nia, both of you should wait inside otherwise you'll both freeze!" Kaien called out to us.

The child partially turned to him while I closed my eyes to drown out the noise. The moment Yuki turned to look into the snowy forest, I heard her gasp. My eyes opened as I saw a lithe form heading toward us. Yuki's eyes lit up like fireworks as she ran to hug the approaching figure. I remained where I was but my hands fell to my sides and I was no longer leaning against the tree.

"Kaname-sama!" she joyfully greeted him.

He looked down at her with affection. He partially returned her embrace as he questioned, "Kaname-sama?"

Instead of answering his question she told him about the day he saved us. "It's the day you saved us one year ago." His red-brown eyes flickered to me before going back on Yuki. "That's what we want to say. Congratulations Kaname-sama!"

His face softened for a moment. "You're wrong. You and Nia get congratulated."

"But," he placed a hand on her head and leaned down to warmly hug her. "Thank you." Both of them closed their eyes and I saw the scene that I fell in love with in Vampire Knight. It was this scene where my heart pounded loudly in my chest and I mentally cheered for Kaname to be with Yuki.

But I didn't feel my heart pounding in joy at seeing both of them together. Instead, I felt dread building in the pit of my stomach. Again, I was reminded how I didn't belong in this world. I was an intruder, invading their personal space.

I clutched a closed fist to my abdomen. Not able to watch the intimate scene anymore, I swirled on my feet and walked back to Cross house with a heavy heart.

However, I missed how the pureblood opened his eyes and followed my movements until I vanished from his sight.

* * *

 **A/N:** I hope I am able to bring out some of Nia's struggles through the little snippets. I feel like she has a lot on her plate and, like Yuki, she will have flaws. One, I can say for sure is letting go her previous life.

Then there is Kaname's perspective; in the anime I think he's more aloof than how he appears in this story. I consider the fact that he's with Yuki and he's quite young as the two main factors for his behavior. Also, for him to leave Yuki in Kaien Cross's hands, let's say I will constantly be worrying about my child's welfare. So I guess Kaname is grateful to have Nia around.

What do you think of the story so far? What do you think of the development between Nia and Kaname? How about Nia, Yuki and Kaien?


	3. Chapter 3

Teasing wasn't something new to me. In my previous life, I was teased for my awkward appearance by the other students. I was a late bloomer and they couldn't understand that.

But their teasing did affect my confidence.

And they won because I isolated myself from other people. I became frightened of taking risks and I cared by how others perceived me.

Then in high school, I had a fresh start. No one knew me and they didn't care.

Everyone had their own click.

I used what I learned from middle school to survive.

 _Keep your head down and mind your own business_ , was my motto. And that was the motto I was using to survive my first day in elementary school. Kaien decided to check out a private school for Yuki and I. It was something unexpected of him because I couldn't recall Yuki attending a private school at a young age in Vampire Knight.

Yet we were situated in a classroom with fifteen other students like us. The students took an instant liking to Yuki. She was approachable and outgoing. I couldn't say the same for me.

"Look at her eyes," one girl whispered.

"It's red," another one replied.

"That's creepy," someone else whispered.

"And look at her hair."

"Is hair that white?"

"She dyes it."

"No, she's too young!"

"She bleaches her hair."

"She can't do that!"

"Whatever, she's weird."

The children kept their distance as I sat at on a chair, staring at an open window. The teacher was standing across the room, talking to some of the students. She pretended not to notice how the other students avoided me like a plague.

So the teachers also pretended not to know about teasing taking place in their classroom just like in my other life? It was a good thing I endured teasing all throughout middle school. I simply ignored all of the kids.

But I couldn't say the same for Yuki.

"Stop it!" she yelled, causing most of the students to look in her direction. I averted my attention to her. She stood her ground with her hands on her hips. Her face was flushed as she was breathing harshly. We were quite noticeable. We were the only ones dressed in regular clothes whereas the other students wore the school uniforms. "How can you say that about my cousin?"

"Well, she is-."

"No, she's not weird! She may look different and she doesn't speak to anyone but she's not weird! You don't know her like I do!"

"You're saying that because she's your cousin."

"No! You didn't try to talk to her!"

"Yes we did."

"No you didn't!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Yuki's face turned redder. She finally couldn't stand the kids and acted irrationally. She began a fight.

There went my motto; jumping from a frying pan into the fire.

I found myself in front of her, glowering at the children who dared to hit my cousin. As long as I was around, no one was going to mess with her. They retreated with frightened looks and a part of me reveled that I had that effect on them.

"Her eyes-."

"They look like a monster," a boy finished.

Yuki heard what the boy said and I actually had to struggle to hold her back. The teacher finally decided to partake in her duty to reprimand the students for a fight when she turned to us.

"Yuki and its Nia, right?" The teacher didn't look happy. She folded her arms across her chest to appear like an authority figure. "You both are guests in my classroom but as I see it fit, you're both placing my students in danger. Yuki and Nia, please go to the principal's office."

"Fine, we don't want to be here," Yuki answered for us. She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the class. Once we were in the hallway, she let go of my hand and gave me that pointed expression. "And you didn't help me."

If she didn't consider me blocking her from the kids' blows as doing something, then I didn't know what she was expecting. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Seriously, you can say something," she huffed at me.

I shook my head at her.

"You don't have to play dumb with me." She sounded annoyed.

I couldn't blame her for being frustrated with me. We had turned eight years old and Kaien finally decided to let us out for a day from his home. We had the opportunity to attend a school like normal kids and we lost that chance.

"Nia?" Yuki paused. I didn't hear her footsteps so I swiveled on my feet. "Why are you so quiet to everyone but me?"

How could I explain to her about everything that happened so far? I had knowledge about everyone's future and the fact that I wasn't suppose to exist in her world made the whole situation messed up. I was ruining everything.

She wouldn't understand.

The others wouldn't understand as well.

If I told them the truth, two things could happen.

One, they would think I was crazy.

And two, they would hate me.

I couldn't risk either one happening. No matter what, I had to stay by Yuki's side, even if I watched from a distance. This world revolved around her and I wanted to ensure her happy ending. She wasn't going to sacrifice herself or so I promised myself.

Her happiness was the only purpose I could find for myself.

What other reason was I here for?

I glanced down at the polished floor, unable to bring myself to answer her question.

"You don't have to answer that," she said after a moment of silence. Her hand encircled mine once again and she began pulling me down the hall. I didn't know it but a small smile curved on my face.

OoO

"After some careful consideration Cross-san, we have decided not to accept your children into our school," the head principal announced to Kaien. His facial expression turned into a frown as he sat across from the principal in her office.

"May I ask why?" he questioned. His children were bright, friendly and obedient kids. He thought they would fit in the high cultured standards of education Prep Collaborative had to offer. In fact, the prestigious school would train his children to attend Cross Academy, which was still in the works of being constructed. By the time the high school was completed, he hoped that his daughters would fit into the high-class life of wealthy students that would attend the school.

Perhaps, he was asking for too much….

"Well, for one, your daughters disrupted a class in session. They had the gall to use violence in the classroom." Kaien's eyebrows rose in speculation.

"Two, although you have intelligent daughters, their social skills are not what we're looking for."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Kaien asked with a deeper tone.

The principal appeared taken aback. Apparently, no one talked to her with such a tone. "Pardon me?"

"You mentioned social skills?"

"Oh," the woman blinked her eyes before shifting in her seat. Her hands reached for a folder lying on her desk. Opening the folder, she took the first document and handed it to Kaien. He took the paper and began skimming through the content. "As you can see, we had a Guidance Counselor question one of your daughters and these are the notes that were taken."

"Selective mutism?" It was the first time Kaien had heard of a social disorder.

"Yes. It's common in children under five years but Nia Cross displays symptoms of selective mutism."

"Such as?"

"The inability to speak during certain situations."

"I don't mean the definition. What are the symptoms?"

The woman slightly shook her head. "The Guidance Counselor Tesa-san left both your children in a room to answer some arithmetic and reading questions. Immediately, she noticed that your daughter, Nia, spoke words to Yuki in order to help her understand how to answer those questions. Tesa-san then separated them and had each one work with her. Yuki was willing to explain how she derived at her answers. Nia, on the other hand, refrained from talking to Tesa-chan. In a classroom environment, Nia refuses to socialize with other classmates. She doesn't make eye contact with the teacher, she withdraws herself from others, and she stands motionless. The teacher can't tell her reaction."

Kaien's eyebrows tugged together on his forehead. "Isn't all of this too soon to judge? Shouldn't you give Nia some more time to be with the classmates her age before judging she has selective mutism?"

"I assure you Tesa-chan observations are accurate. Apparently, children with selective mutism are children with a capability of speaking to people around them. The problem is to getting them to speak. Nia trusts Yuki enough to use words to communicate with her. She hasn't established that trust with other people, which explains her silence. Perhaps she had some traumatic-."

"Are you trying to say I'm an incompetent father?" His tone got darker.

"No," the principal shook her head. "I understand that Nia and Yuki are cousins and they're both adapted. I'm saying that something-."

"Don't go there." Kaien had to stop the principal before she walked across a fine line. He acknowledged he wasn't the best parent to Yuki and Nia because he was a vampire hunter. He wasn't a normal person. He killed creatures for a living. Yet, Yuki and Nia were vampires, who were now living as humans. They came from a dark world too. There was a time he would have killed them without blinking an eye. Now, he was trying his best to protect them from other vampire hunters like himself.

"My apologies," the woman said while lowering her head.

There was a slight rap on the door and the principal rose from her seat. Kaien joined her. "That must be your daughters." As if on cue, Yuki opened the office door. Nia stood behind the child with a blank expression on her face.

The woman held out her hand for Kaien to shake. He placed his larger one on her own and shook it. "Thank you for your interest in Prep Collaborative and for taking your time to see me. It has been my pleasure."

"Your welcome," he replied. And he mentally added, _for nothing_. He grabbed his bag and made his way to the two girls waiting by the door for him. It was unfortunate that Prep Collaborative did not accept his daughters. The school would have help prepared them for their future and give them some semblance of a normal human life.

But his plans changed. He had to personally tutor them himself.

His long fingers closed over Yuki's small wrist and she held hands with her cousin. Together, all three of them walked out of the elementary school.

OoO

It was another normal day that Kaien was home. The sky was a clear blue and the weather was warm. I could sneak out again without having to worry about Yuki's safety. She feared walking into town. For some reason, she mentioned feeling darkness surround her. I knew it wasn't darkness but vampires that she sensed. She lured them to her like a bait for the sharks.

I was taking a risk going out by myself but since the times I visited the library, I was lucky not to run into any vampires. I was beginning to think that I was more like Shiki, an aristocrat, than a pureblood.

Or maybe purebloods' blood worked differently for vampires. I mean who would be attracted to Rido's blood? He was a sinister and insane pureblood vampire!

"You should stay home," Yuki said to me. She refused to let go my hand. "It's not safe out there."

"I'll be all right," I assured her as I covered her hand with mine. "I went outside many times by myself and I made it back."

"But you were always out of breath," she said with suspicion. She was right. I always raced back to the Cross household. Something about the nighttime didn't feel right for me.

I would hole myself in the library, researching information on vampires, vampire hunters, and alternate worlds that I would lose track of time. Wandering around the town in darkness was not the ideal situation, which was the reason I dashed for home. I was still an eight-year old human girl.

"I know. I'm like you, I'm scared of the dark," I said. I threw a cheap shot at her. I saw the hurt reflected in her chocolate eyes before she let me go. My heart hurt for a moment but I had to remind myself I was doing what I could for her. I had to find out more about Vampire Knight.

And knowing I was being selfish, I just couldn't help myself… there might be a way for me to return home.

I pulled away from her and turned to run away when I didn't hear her retreating footsteps. I paused. "I'm sorry," I whispered. I hoped she heard my words

Then I dashed away from her and made my way into the town. I had to trek through a forest while following a lonely road. At times, I stopped to catch my breath but I kept on going until I saw the familiar brown brick building of the library. The top floor had a triangular roof. In the center peak of the triangle was a clock. The time indicated I had two more hours before sunset. Shoot! That might not be enough time for me to stay in the library and search through the endless books that I discovered about vampires. There was a rare hardback book that I found by accident that claimed vampires weren't fictional creatures. It began with an explanation of humans being on the brink of extinction. Vampires, known as purebloods appeared, theorized to be the evolutionary form of humans. But vampires needed human blood for sustenance, creating a war between vampires and humans. Purebloods reproduced with humans or bit humans to produce more vampires. A couple of purebloods sided with the humans and sacrificed themselves to create the vampire hunters, a superior form of humans that could combat the vampires. I didn't get to read beyond vampire hunters. My visits to the library was timely limited.

Also, I couldn't take the book home. Without a library card I couldn't borrow books and I couldn't request one from Kaien. He would be inquisitive and I couldn't afford that.

I used the last of my energy to sprint to the front doors. Once inside, I hunched over. My hands closed over my knees as I inhaled and exhaled precious oxygen for my lungs. Luckily, I wore faded blue jeans with an off-white long sleeve shirt and dirtied sneakers. The comfortable clothes made moving easier for me. My white hair cascaded over my thin shoulders in tangles. I straightened up and swiped my fingers through my hair. It was growing long as it reached past my shoulders. The strands were so thick that a hair tie couldn't keep it up for long. I settled for leaving my hair out.

I walked past the first few rows of books. There was a section dedicated to dark folklore. I had to make sure that I was not sighted by the librarian who had the habit to check the library every twenty minutes. I reached the destination for the book to only learn it was not where I left it. Instead, there was an empty space between two books. The other books next to the vacant spot were on vampires that I recently finished. I blinked my eyes.

I tilted my head back to look up at the other books. Most of them were aged. The words on the side of ledges were fading. I searched for a bound, worn red book. The words _Vampyres_ in black Italics was the indicator I hit home. Yet none of the books displayed the words I was looking for.

My eyebrows tugged together. I was in the library two days ago where I placed the book back on the bookshelf. Did someone else borrow the book? Who else would be interested in vampires? The townsfolk laughed at the reality of vampires. I heard the librarian several days ago remarked that the dark folklore was the less popular side of the library. So why the sudden interest?

Unless I wasn't alone like I initially thought.

My head whipped to either side of the aisle. It never occurred to me to think of the library as a creepy place. All the times I was here, I was here during daylight hours in a bubble of safeness. Yet both sides of the aisle had darkness creeping in. A sudden chill seeped into my clothes, making me shiver.

I hugged myself.

I looked both ways in the aisle, waiting to see something suspicious. I tilted my head back when I noticed the sunlight from the sky was receding through the windowpane. It was almost dark outside. Double shoot!

Without thinking, I turned and dashed where I came from.

"Hey kid! No running in the library!" the librarian yelled at me. I didn't heed her words. I was running for all I was worth. I had to make it home before nightfall or else Kaien would come looking for me. Perhaps Kaname would be accompanying him too.

And what would happen to Yuki?

I stopped somewhere outside with a lot of trees and a dark open road. I had to wonder why Kaien lived far away from town. The sky was spilling into black. The stars barely illuminated enough light for me to continue following alongside the road. Usually, I would trek my way through the woods, but even the woods looked uninviting during the nighttime.

I could only hope that Kaien didn't notice me missing.

I prayed that Yuki was safe for tonight.

OoO

Kaien made an attempt to cook dinner for his wonderful daughters. Lately, they both appeared gloomy since the event at school. Yuki looked out the living room window while Nia was somewhere else in the house. He questioned Yuki about her whereabouts and the little mocha haired girl just shook her head. Man, he wasn't making progress with getting his daughters to talk to him!

The more they hung out together, the more they seemed to be rubbing off on each other.

Yuki barely chatted with him when the silver haired girl wasn't around.

And even if she was near, Yuki always looked to her cousin for approval.

He had to wonder what was going on through their minds.

But then again, they weren't normal children. He had to constantly remind himself that.

He had to treat them differently.

For one, he had their home in an isolated area where he could raise them by himself. By letting them associate with other people, he was putting them in danger. Nia's silence already made her different from the other humans.

Two, if danger found them, he would be prepared to become the vampire hunter he detested. But for two little girls he grew an attachment to, he would revert to his dangerous persona to protect them anytime. He was no longer following Kaname's orders to keep them safe. He was doing it for himself.

And three, no other human would be in peril since his home was far off from the town. He already was considered to be a peculiar man for anyone to visit him.

Seclusion was the key to keep his family safe.

 _Family._ It had a nice ring for Kaien. He wanted to have a family since the time he met Juri. And now, he had two daughters. His lips quirked into a grin. He began humming a lively tune while he set out plates along with knives and forks on the kitchen table.

Yuki's fist banging on the glass captured his attention.

He paused and stared at the little girl. She put down her closed fist and began to pace back and forth in the living room.

"Yuki?"

The child ignored him as Nia usually did. He simply shook his head and went back to the task of setting the table for dinner.

Yuki stomped her foot against the wooden floor, stopping him. He put the remaining forks on the table and walked into the living room. "Yuki?"

The girl looked at him and blinked teary eyes at him. The sight shocked him as he let out a rush of air. Quickly, he knelt down before the child, careful not to touch her since Nia didn't like him to touch her.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

Yuki blinked at him and wiped away the tears falling from her eyes with the back of her hands. "She's not home yet," she answered.

Kaien's forehead wrinkled. "Who's not home yet?"

He had a queasy feeling that he was not going to like the answer he heard from the child. "Nia."

"Nia? Where is she?"

Yuki shook her head while covering her face. "I don't know."

Instantly, he rose on his two feet and hastily walked into the children's bedroom. He prayed that Yuki was wrong and Nia was playing her hide-and-seek game with him. Nia, when she wanted to be alone, hid from him. He learned not to bother her because if he did she withdrew further away from him.

But if she left the house, she went too far.

He checked the other parts of the house, especially the bathroom. When he heard no response, or saw no signs of her, he picked up the phone to call the one person who had the most possible chance of finding her. Kaname Kuran.

OoO

"Kaien, this better not be another lie," Kaname warned the vampire hunter on the phone.

"It's definitely not," Kaien promised on the other end.

"What happened? Did Yuki-." Kaname didn't get a chance to finish.

"Nia is missing. She's not home and its nightfall," Kaien said with a serious tone. Kaname stiffened. Kaien made up lies to get Kaname to visit the Cross home and all those lies had something to do with his precious Yuki. Not Nia. "I will go out looking for her, but I can't leave Yuki alone."

"You're right," Kaname agreed. "Ichijo and I will search for Nia."

"Are you sure it's wise to bring Ichijo?" Kaname knew the vampire hunter would have asked a longer and detailed question but there was some information that Kaname refused to share. Purebloods kept their matters private. He was just using the favor Kaien owed Juri to watch over the girls.

But now, Nia was missing.

"Two of us are better than one," he replied. "Is there a chance you might know where she is?"

"No," Kaien said with a lace of disappointment in his tone. "I don't know her well enough."

"How about Yuki?" Yuki might have a good chance of knowing where to find Nia.

"She doesn't know either."

That meant that Ichijo and Kaname were going to have to do a wide search in town for a little girl. For a moment Kaname debated on calling the other noble vampires to help him. He immediately went against the idea. He didn't want to have explain himself to the other vampires. The less they knew about Yuki and Nia, the better.

Ichijo stood on the sideline and heard the whole conversation on the phone due to his superior vampire hearing. Kaname trusted him enough to let him know about two of Kaien's daughters he visited. Kaname traded goodbyes with the vampire hunter on the phone before his dark eyes subtly shifted to him. He hung up the phone and headed for the door. Ichijo swiftly followed behind the pureblood. A servant rushed to them with their coats. Both vampires donned on their coats before disappearing into the night.

OoO

I should have known better than to come outside without a jacket. A slight breeze hit me and I shivered as I rubbed my forearms. The night's air was icy against my face and hands. The long sleeve t-shirt and the jeans weren't enough to keep me warm as another cold breeze passed by me.

"Why me?" I asked the empty air while I raised my arms. I didn't want to cause trouble for anyone while I found answers as to why I was suddenly swept into Vampire Knight's world. So far, there were two possible answers. "Either I'm dreaming or I'm dead."

From the research in the library about alternate worlds, I was left with two different options. I had to die or live out my life in Vampire Knight and then die.

Which one was it going to be?

I kicked the small stones on the road.

Another cold wind slapped me in the face and I hugged myself tighter. I really disliked the cold.

Maybe I could die and end my role in Vampire Knight. But flashes of Yuki's loving expression danced in my mind and I knew I couldn't abandon her. Besides, I was a big sister in my previous life and the hurt I felt for being whisked away from my little sister was still fresh in my heart.

It was my duty of being a protective sister that bounded me to Yuki, although we were cousins.

I had to be strong.

I slammed my hands into my pockets as I slowly treaded my way home. I wondered if Yuki and Kaien missed me. Nah! Kaien didn't miss me. He was probably jumping for joy to get rid of a problematic child like myself. Yuki was the only one who loved me.

But then again, could I blame the others for not loving me? It wasn't like I made an attempt to get to know them. I assumed I knew them because of the anime; I wasn't allowing myself to get close to them because I was afraid.

I was scared of changing the events of Vampire Knight; yet ironically, I wanted to prevent Yuki from sacrificing herself.

I was frightened of getting attached to Vampire Knight.

And most of all I was terrified of falling in love.

I stopped pacing while I clenched my hands into small fists at my side. I lowered my head until my hair covered my face. There was no way I was going to fall in love with one of the Vampire Knight men. I knew much better than that.

My heart pounded in my chest as the images of Kaname and Zero flashed in my mind. They loved Yuki. I squeezed my eyes shut as I brought my hands to my head. I crouched down on the road, uncaring that a car could knock me over.

Aido, Ichijo, Kain, and Ichiru were others that I couldn't dare to dream of.

My nails bit into my palms hard before the tender flesh gave away to blood. Instantly, the air got heavier as a hard wind blew in my face. My hair and clothes nipped at my skin. I shuddered and hugged myself tighter to conserve some warmth. A snarl came from my left and I snapped my head up, my eyes opened as I warily looked around me.

In the distance, behind foliage of trees, I thought I saw a figure move. My breath caught in my throat as my heart pounded a tenth fold. I stood up on wobbly legs. The figure moved again, bloody eyes suddenly revealing itself. Those creepy eyes grew larger when the creature shifted closer to me. His eyes reminded me of Kaname's eyes the night he saved me.

But the creature wasn't Kaname.

I took clumsy backward steps as the figure approached me. Dread built in the pit of my stomach. I was an eight-year old human girl! A defenseless child!

What could I do?

I was alone with the creature.

No one could save me.

Perhaps, this was how my story ended in Vampire Knight.

The figure shifted closer to me so that I could make out dishevel clothes, ratty looking hair, hungry bloodlust eyes and sharp teeth. Both hands feet were bare except for the talon like claws. He could kill me with a strike of his claws.

A hand outstretched to me as I kept backing away. My foot slipped on one of the stones and I landed hard on my rear.

The creature snarled at me. I covered my face while I whimpered. I was pathetically going to die like one of those females from the horror movies.

I shut my eyes and waited for the pain.

I waited… and waited when I noticed a stillness in the air.

Then light was glaring behind my closed lids. The glare got brighter. There was another harsh snarl. Tires swerved against the road. A car door opened. Something sounded like crunching of bones. I barely opened my eyes as I peered through my fingers. The light from a vehicle was too bright for me to make out another accosting figure. I whimpered and turned away from the stranger.

"Nia," a smooth, entrancing and familiar voice called to me.

Warm arms encircled me. Usually I would slap away the person -if it was not Yuki- but in this case, I allowed myself to be comforted. A sob escaped me as I hugged back the familiar person.

"Nia, are you okay?" the hypnotic voice asked me. I rubbed my face against the broad and hard chest, seeking more warmth as I realized I was cold as ice.

"Nia?" Warm fingers reached for my chin and tenderly tilted my head back.

My eyes caught red-brown eyes gazing down at me with concern. "Kaname-sama," I whispered before my body slumped against his and my eyes closed to welcome the darkness. I could have sworn I smelled roses and lavender.

OoO

Kaien paced back and forth in the living room whilst he waited to hear word from Kaname about Nia. He couldn't understand the silver haired child. Why did she leave home?

His and her relationship as father and daughter was pretty rocky. They didn't get along. He tried his best to be humorous but the child viewed him as an alien. If she didn't have to be with him in the same room, she would avoid him. It hurt him as a father to not be able to be there for his child.

He sat down on the couch and buried his face in his hands. Kaien didn't bother to take off his glasses as he sighed. He was the worst father. He didn't know she left the house. He had no idea where she went or for what reason. Yuki revealed that Nia left home more than once. She had been disappearing whenever she had the chance to go outside.

His shoulders slumped with defeat. Was Nia okay?

He hoped that Kaname and Ichijo found her soon. The ticking clock on the mantle wasn't helping as it served to remind him about the late hour. He even had to reject the job the Council was calling him in for. Kaien wouldn't forgive himself if he found out something bad happened to Nia. It was his duty to protect her like he protected Yuki.

"What kind of father am I?" he muttered to himself.

"You are a good father," Yuki replied back to him. He raised his head as he blinked his eyes at her. Any other time he would have rejoiced with joy at hearing Yuki compliment him. In fact, it was the first time she called him father.

He blinked again and then shook his head. "No, I'm not."

"Don't say that!" Yuki said. She scrunched her tiny face at him. "You try your best to make me and Nia smile. You try your best to make us food. You try your best to talk to us. You always try your best."

He smiled shakily at her. "I do but I can't reach you both."

"You do. I care about you. Nia too." The child looked down at the ground. She hesitated before sharing, "Nia thinks you don't like her."

The man's mouth dropped to the floor. "What?"

Her chocolate eyes flickered to his own with uncertainty. "She thinks no one likes her. Not even Kaname-sama. Except for me."

"That's not true!" Kaien exclaimed. As he realized he was talking to a fragile Yuki, he lowered his tone. "I love you both. You and Nia are my daughters."

He got up from the couch and slowly moved to Yuki. She looked up at him with watery eyes. "Now I know, father."

He would have been glowing with pride if Yuki wasn't sad about her missing cousin. "I hope she comes home."

"She will," he reassured her. He hugged her, feeling relieved that she let him. She cried and he let her. Finally, she pushed at him with her small arms and he let her go. Again, she looked unsure. "I think…"

"Yes, Yuki." He placed his large hands on her delicate shoulders. "What is it?"

"Umm… Uh…."

"If you need more time to think-."

"Umm… I followed Nia two days ago," she confessed. Kaien felt his heart stilled.

"What?"

"I followed Nia to the library. She was reading a big book." Nia was in the library. The vampire hunter knew the child was far advanced for her age but for her to be seeking information at the library was a different matter. He had to notify Kaname.

He was going to ask the child an impossible question. "Do you know what she was reading?"

Yuki nodded her head.

His face lightened up. "What is it?"

"I can't tell you the name."

His mood deflated. "Well, that's okay."

"I can show you," the girl instantly said. Kaien frowned, wondering what she meant. She tugged on his arm as she led him to the girls' bedroom. "I know a library is to borrow books. I didn't have a card but I borrowed the book so Nia can stay here."

She halted before the bed and let go of his arm. She bent down until she raised her bed covers and dragged a red hardback book along the carpeted floor. He knelt to retrieve the book and instantly noted the words on the front cover. _Vampyres_.

He froze.

If Nia could recall the night that Kaname saved her, then how much knowledge did she have on vampires?

"Are you happy?" Yuki asked him with a cheery voice.

"Yes, I'm proud of you." He patted her head. "Is it okay if I borrow this book? I will let Nia read it after I take a look at it."

Yuki scrunched her face as she looked at him. "Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Then we pinky promise." She held out her pinky finger. He, in return, put out his pinky finger and they wrapped their pinky fingers together in a promise.

"Thank you." He smiled at her.

The child beamed at him. And for once Kaien felt like he was making progress with learning something new about both his children.

OoO

Kaname cradled the little girl in his arms as he sat across from Ichijo in the limousine. It was such a close encounter, if he arrived a few seconds later, the white-haired child… no, he didn't want to think about it.

He was able to locate Nia, thanks to the intoxicating smell of her blood and he made sure to instantly kill the Level E vampire, although he felt a rage surge through him to a point that he might have given the Level E vampire too quick of a death. Purebloods' blood was too valuable. To let any of it spill for no apparent reason was considered taboo.

But the fact that an innocent child's blood spilled tonight was unacceptable. Especially one who was under his protection.

He dug his fingers through the mass of white hair that splayed across his chest. His eyes peered through the tinted glass of the vehicle as they were finally heading back to Cross' home. Outside, he appeared calm and stoic but on the inside, he was trying to reign in a beast.

He was close to losing his temper.

Kaname could feel Ichijo's eyes on him. The blond aristocrat had many questions but Kaname wasn't in the mood to answer any of them. And Ichijo sensed that the pureblood needed his distance.

So instead, Kaname had to focus on small details to distract himself. He observed the child's hair grew longer in his absence. It fell below her shoulders in luxurious masses. Her pale eyelashes dusted against her fair skin and her lips pursed into a straight line. Even in sleep, the girl still had a world of worries.

One of her hands clenched against his shirt and he heard a slight whimper. Her face twisted into one of pain and his arms tightened around her. He leaned his head back against the car seat while protectively holding the girl. He could hear the acceleration of her heart. The whispering of rich blood flowed through her veins. For a moment, he was tempted to lift her fingers, crusted with dried blood, to his mouth. Her blood would reveal the secrets she hid from him.

If he hadn't closed his eyes, Ichijo would have seen his eyes glowing scarlet.

He lifted one arm away from her and placed a hand on his forehead. It was startling that a part of him wanted to taste the child's blood. The only blood he craved was from a forbidden person. He couldn't fathom getting a whiff of Yuki's scent without his eyes turning red.

He made sure to stay away from his precious girl while he learned to control his temper. This was one of his reasons for staying away from the Cross' residence.

He took a deep breath and immediately he smelled the Nia's blood in the vehicle. Ichijo was smelling it too.

"I advise you to keep what happened tonight between us," Kaname answered with a cool voice while he kept his eyes shut.

"Yes, Kaname," the noble answered him. Kaname didn't reprimand him for calling him by his first name without a title. If the situation wasn't serious, he and Ichijo would've been having a pleasant chat. Besides, Ichijo was one of his closest friends who understood his training to be a pureblood vampire and the pressures of the Vampire Society on purebloods.

Fortunately, Yuki and Nia could escape the pressures for now. He wanted them to be happy because once they turned into purebloods, everything would drastically change for them.

He cracked one glowing red eye open. Ichijo noticed but kept his mouth shut.

Nia's blood was too heady. The scent was getting overwhelming.

He felt the little bundle move in his arms, another whimper came from her and he closed his eye. Shame filled him. Was he such a monster that he was craving her blood as well?

He understood that pureblood vampire's blood was alluring. Many vampires and vampire hunters craved the sweetness of a pureblood and the power that came with it. But he was a pureblood and he knew better.

"How close are we to Cross' home?" he questioned the noble sitting rigidly across from him. Apparently, Ichijo was sensing the tension in the atmosphere.

"We're almost there," Ichijo awkwardly replied.

"Good."

Nia whimpered again and Kaname couldn't take it anymore. A blast of pureblood power filled the limousine, causing Ichijo's hair and coat to flutter in the wind. The next second, the power was gone and the little girl was sleeping peacefully in the pureblood's arms wrapped in his coat.

Ichijo wanted to ask him what he did. Witnessing a pureblood's power was quite rare in the Vampire Society since there weren't many of them left. But the atmosphere in the limousine felt very heavy to a point he was suffocating. Kaname was barely restraining himself, especially with the fact that the heady blood filtered the air.

The vehicle finally pulled up to a house. Kaname knew the vampire hunter was waiting outside for him. Kaien was a skilled vampire hunter with sharp senses. In fact, he was considered as one of the best, which was why he left Yuki and Nia under his care.

Ichijo opened the door and stepped out the car. He put out his arms in offer to take the sleeping child from Kaname. Kaname opened bloody eyes at him and Ichijo, shocked, took a step back. Kaname easily unfolded his long legs as he carefully stepped out from the vehicle. He was greeted at a cheery sight of Kaien.

Kaname tucked his coat around the child as he made his way to the Cross' house.

"Wait here," he commanded the noble. Ichijo nodded his head and shut the car door while he watched the pureblood and the vampire hunter enter the Cross' house. There must have been something very special about Cross' two daughters for Kaname to assist the vampire hunter to find one of them tonight.

OoO

Antiseptics flooded my nose. I could hear distant weeping. Something warm curled against my fingers.

"Please, don't leave me," a familiar voice whispered. "Don't go."

"I'm sorry," I could barely say. There was so much pain; in my arms, legs, stomach. My fingers twitched.

"Please," the voice whispered. "What will I do without you?"

"Amy," a name left my lips.

And then I woke up to see Yuki's watery chocolate orbs blinking at me. She squeezed my hand as she took in a deep breath. Then she jumped on the bed, causing me to yelp.

"Nia!" she squealed. "Don't do that ever again!"

I felt wetness on my shirt, where she was clutching on to me for dear life. Her body shook. I wrapped my arms around her small frame.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "Please forgive me."

The girl pushed herself away from my arms. Tears streamed down her cheeks in rivulets. Guilt swarmed in me. "Don't do that." Yuki began shaking her head. "Don't leave me alone."

"I'm sorry, Yuki." I put my forehead against hers. "I didn't mean to leave you alone. Please forgive me." We hugged each other again and we spent most of that night crying.

* * *

 **A/N:** Honestly, thank you all for positive feedback about this story so far! *Bows.* You're all helping to shape up this story. I'm happy to know that you like Nia's character so far. It's a challenge to form a relationship with the other characters from Vampire Knight, but hopefully this chapter shows the beginning for Kaien and Kaname. It's all about trust.

I thought about Kaien's phone pranks to Kaname when Yuki was a child and I was inspired to write this event to bring Nia closer to Yuki, Kaien and Kaname. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as I had lots of fun writing it. November month is coming up and it's a month that I participate in NaNoWriMo, which means I won't be able to update until December. I'm sorry. *Bows.*

Also, I noticed many of you are forming a pair for the characters in this story. I don't mind. My plan is to have you readers eventually vote who you will like to see the main characters with. In the next chapter, please expect Zero. Yay!

To answer some of your questions, I will be adding point of views from third person. As you may notice, I change from Nia's point of view -usually done in first person- to Kaname's and Kaien's. Expect third person for Zero and Yuki as well in the future chapters. To answer the question about Zero's and Nia's relationship, I think in a way they some share some similar characteristics such as refusing to call Kaien father or seeing a jokey man when he should take things seriously. As for how they interact later on in the story, what I can say is that Nia is able to understand how Zero feels when it comes to losing someone precious.

And that's all for now! Let me know what you think so far. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Kaien sensed the moment the pureblood was on the Cross premises. He left Yuki in the girls' bedroom for her safety. He put the heavy bound book she leant him on the kitchen table while he walked to the living room. He grabbed a long coat from the coat rack and put it on as he made his way outside into the chilly night.

He saw a shiny black limousine door open to reveal a blond vampire wearing a long dark coat. He blocked the pureblood to get the child, but the pureblood revealed bloodlust eyes on him. There was an awkward moment for the blond as he took a step back. Kaien pretended not to notice what went on between the two vampires. Instead, he plastered a smile on his face and greeted the dangerous pureblood cradling Nia protectively in his arms. He could barely make out the whiteness of the child's hair under Kaname's brown coat.

To say Kaien was impressed was an understatement. Despite craving the child's blood, Kaname was able to control his bloodlust. Already the pureblood was displaying control over his vampire urges while being young. He was showing how different he was from his uncle, Rido Kuran.

"Wait here," Kaname simply commanded the other vampire.

The blond noble nodded his head.

Kaien waited for the pureblood to reach him with Nia until he matched Kaname's strides to the house. Briskly, he opened the door for the pureblood to walk inside with the little bundle in his arms.

"You don't seem fazed by my appearance," Kaname said calmly as he stopped in the center of the living room.

"I have witnessed many vampires in their bloodlust state. You are more in control of your state than the others," Kaien replied just as placidly as Kaname. He shook the long coat off his frame and he laid it out on the couch. He noticed that Kaname didn't deposit the sleeping girl on the couch.

"Will you like me to take her?" Kaien asked the pureblood carefully. Kaname may seem to control his bloodlust for now but a small movement toward the wrong direction could make the pureblood snap.

The pureblood closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, he said, "No." Automatically, the redness faded from Kaname's eyes.

"How about tucking her in bed then?" Kaien always felt comforted by tucking the girls in bed at night. The small gesture contented him while ensuring him the children was safe.

"That sounds like a good idea."

Kaien nodded and led the way to the girls' bedroom. He paused at the door and held out a hand to signal to Kaname to wait a moment. The pureblood simply stopped in his tracks as he let the vampire hunter do what he had to do.

Quietly, Kaien's hand turned the doorknob while he peered into the room. The lamp from the night table was still on. The light filtered into the darkness of the hallway. He heard low humming from Yuki. She was in bed, trying to put herself to sleep but was miserably failing at it because Nia wasn't around.

Kaien felt sadness marred his face. There would come a day when both girls would have separate lives and he couldn't imagine how hard it would be for the both of them.

He opened the door wider and saw how Yuki shot out of bed. The blanket fell on the floor along with a pillow in a rumpled mess. If Nia was in the room, she would have been at the girl's bed picking up the blanket and pillow to neatly place them on the bed. In fact, Nia was always picking up after Yuki whenever the child made a mess.

It was as almost she was keeping vigil on Yuki.

He allowed himself into the room before quietly closing the door behind him. The brunette child stopped in front of him and her eyes went beyond him to the door. Was she sensing Kaname and Nia outside the door?

"Yuki," he said her name gently.

The child blinked owlishly before turning her chocolate orbs to him. "You may have noticed that Nia is home-."

"She is!" Yuki's face brightened on hearing her cousin was safe.

"But she's not feeling well and Kaname-sama is going to tuck her in."

The girl frowned before her eyes sparkled with life at the sound of Kaname's name. "Kaname-sama is here too?"

"He is." The vampire hunter nodded his head. "But I need you to be a good girl."

"I am."

"You are," he assured her. Then he stooped to her level so she could see his hazel eyes through his shiny spectacles. "However, Kaname-sama is going to tuck Nia into bed. She isn't feeling well. You will have to act like a big sister to her. Take care of Nia while I talk about some important business with Kaname-sama."

Yuki's face scrunched up. "Kaname-sama isn't here to play?"

"No," he said sadly.

Yuki smiled at him as if to make him feel better. "It's okay. Nia needs me and I'll take care of her like how she takes care of me."

Kaien blinked at the child and really looked at her. For such a young child, she showed signs of maturity like her cousin. This was one of those times she amazed him.

"Thank you for understanding." He motioned for the child to stand aside while he rose on his feet and opened the door. He gestured for the pureblood to enter the girls' bedroom. Kaname's frame instantly appeared at the doorway. Kaien moved aside and watched as the pureblood strode to Nia's bed. He pulled back the covers and laid the child on the soft mattress before covering her small body with the warm blankets. Kaien noted that Kaname didn't bother to remove his coat from the girl's body. Instead he put the covers over the girl and his coat.

Then he turned to face them and his red-brown eyes softened on Yuki. "Yuki," he greeted her in a soft manner.

The child dashed to him and affectionately hugged him. "Kaname-sama!"

When she let him go, Kaname knelt in front of her and placed a finger to his lips. "Shhh…."

Yuki glanced to a sleeping Nia and bobbed her head.

"Good," he said as removed his finger from his lips. He placed a large hand on her head and ruffled her mocha hair. "I need to ask you to be a good girl and watch your cousin for me."

Again, she bobbed her head.

"And always watch out for her when I'm not around. Can you do that, Yuki?"

The child nodded her head.

Kaien was astonished. He couldn't imagine the sudden change in behavior for Kaname yet the pureblood returned to the Cross residence while holding the child incredibly close to him and now he was asking his little sister to watch over her. What happened to Nia outside?

"That's my good girl." He patted her head and then caressed her cheek lovingly. The girl beamed at his praise.

He stood up and faced Kaien with a serious expression on his face. Kaien gulped, as he knew the part he dreaded was going to happen. He was going to face Kaname's wrath for failing in his duty; protecting Nia.

"We have some matters to discuss," Kaname stated with a certain sense of quietness but there was the underlying note of fury. Kaien had faced a great deal of vampires and some purebloods but he didn't know how to face this side of Kaname. Already, the elegant, cold and commanding pureblood was appearing in a young teenager.

"Yes we do," Kaien said. He led the way out of the girls' bedroom and into the hallway. Kaname made sure to close the bedroom door with a click before joining Kaien in the living room.

OoO

"What happened?" Kaname almost hissed through his gritted teeth. He was quickly losing his coolly collected composure. He entrusted the vampire hunter to do a simple task, watch both Yuki and Nia. Was it hard to keep an eye on them? "Are you growing too soft?"

The vampire hunter stumbled back. He didn't know how to answer Kaname, especially when he saw two glowing red orbs at him. Then he bowed his head in shame. His shoulders hunched over. "I'm sorry. I didn't think that Nia would go into town by herself. Yuki is naturally afraid to go outside by herself and I thought that Nia is similar."

"What?"

Apparently, Kaien was making things worse. Kaname inhaled and exhaled air to keep from losing his temper. He had to leave Cross' home soon before he did something he was going to regret. The pureblood training he did at Ichijo's residence was barely helping to keep his emotions in check. No wonder the Council kept tabs on him. He might as well be dangerous as Rido.

"Nia has been going to the library in town," Kaien confessed.

"The library?" The pureblood was expecting different types of blabbering from the vampire hunter but not about the library.

"Nia," the vampire hunter raised his head and removed his glasses from his face. He bent his pointer finger and thumb on the middle of his forehead as he appeared deep in thought. "I don't know how to explain this but Nia is driven by curiosity. Apparently, she's not finding answers to whatever questions she has from the bookshelves here so she's been visiting the library in town."

"And what has she been looking into?" Kaname asked with interest replacing his anger.

"Vampires," Kaien simply replied.

Whispers as sweet and quietly as snowflakes drifted to him.

Kaname's head snapped into the direction of the girls' room. The ash blond man followed his movement.

He could hear words beyond the door and he could smell their tears. For a brief moment, he felt like leaving Kaien alone while he tried to comfort the two girls. He could almost hear Nia's voice. So, the girl knew how to speak words but she refrained from talking to him and Kaien.

And as if he suddenly remembered what the vampire hunter told him, he redirected his attention on the ash blond man. "Did you say she's been researching vampires?" he questioned while he raised his dark eyebrows.

Kaien almost gulped, but he continued to answer Kaname to best of his ability. "Yes."

"And what about vampires has she been researching?"

The vampire hunter shook his head. "I don't know but she wants to know more about them."

Kaname looked back at the door. He could hear their sobs. Their sadness was beginning to affect him. "She was almost attacked tonight by a Level E vampire," he confessed, as he looked back at the ash blond man.

"Wait, come again?"

"If it weren't for the scent of her blood, she would have…." The pureblood couldn't finish his sentence. At least the vampire hunter got an answer for the pureblood's change in attitude. "You have to keep a better eye on her. For now, I was able to eliminate the threat but if she's been visiting the library, who knows what other vampires know about her in town."

"I'm sorry," Kaien was quick to apologize as he bowed to the powerful vampire. He straightened up. "I'll make sure to keep a closer eye on her."

"Perhaps you should confine her to the house."

Kaien gaped at him. "Ar-are you saying that I should keep Nia in the house?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Kaname raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't confining her home overdoing it?"

"We have to let her know in some manner that her behavior tonight is inexcusable."

"There has to be other ways."

Kaname simply stared at him with a blank expression. The pureblood was becoming harder to read.

"She already doesn't talk to me. If I ground her, she will completely shutdown on me."

"You'll have to find another way to get through to her. Maybe Yuki can help you with that since Nia talks to her."

"No," Kaien shook his head. "I gained some of her trust tonight. I don't want to use her…."

"As I see it, you have no choice. I entrusted you to take care of them. Don't make me regret my decision," the pureblood admonished the vampire hunter with a cold tone.

As much as Kaien hated to admit it, Kaname had a point. He had to do a better job at guarding the girls.

"And I need you to discover what about vampires Nia is researching."

Finally, Kaien perked up. "I can help you with that one." Quickly, he went into the kitchen to grab the thick book Yuki let him borrow. He returned in the living with the item and gave it to Kaname.

The pureblood's eyes widened a fraction on the word "Vampyres."

"Where did you get this book from?"

The vampire hunter stalled, making the powerful vampire narrow his dark eyes on him.

"Yuki," he said after a while.

"Yuki?" he questioned slowly.

"She followed Nia to the library."

A dark aura filled the area of the living room making the vampire hunter take a step back. Kaname inhaled deep breaths as he reminded himself the girls were feeling distressed in the bedroom.

"Kaien," he almost hissed at the ash blond man. He almost lost Nia tonight. He couldn't imagine how he would react if lost his precious girl too. "If anything happens to them, I will remove them from your care." He didn't make light threats. Both girls were too important to keep in careless hands.

"No, don't!" The man shook his hands in the air. "I will take better care of them."

Then Kaname averted his attention to the thick book in his hand. He opened to one of the pages and began skimming the contents, stopping at two words. Pureblood Vampire.

His mind imbibed the rest of the information.

 _Also translated as trueblood vampire. Purebloods are the highest rank among vampires. Their blood remains pure without any human contamination: they can trace their blood back to an original Pureblood ancestor. Purebloods all possess a series of unique powers, often exclusive only to certain Pureblood or Pureblood family._

He closed it and searched for the author's name. Haymoui Ouri popped out at him in dark italics. Currently, there were only seven pureblood families left: Kuran, Hio, Handagi, Toma, Shirabuki, Shoto and Ouri. Apparently, the book was as he suspected, a pureblood had written it. But how the hardback ended in the library was a different matter.

Just then, an idea formulated in his mind. He gave the book back to the vampire hunter whom he felt was scrutinizing his reaction.

"Give the book back to Yuki and have her give it to Nia?"

The vampire hunter frowned. "Why?"

"If Yuki reveals that she followed Nia to the library, Nia will think twice about her action." Given how close her bond was to her cousin and how she appeared to be protective over her, Nia would feel remorse. "And the book will keep Nia occupied for a while." Considering that the child was eight years old, even an adult will take a long time to read the entire book.

"Oh, all right," Kaien sounded convinced.

"But you can't read the book when Nia is done. You will have to return it to me," he commanded quietly.

"Doesn't it belong to the library?"

The pureblood slightly shook his head as he let out a long breath. "Honestly, I don't know how this hardback ended in the library. I will take it and keep it in my possession." The book belonged out of human society's hands, considering that it contained personal information about purebloods and purebloods kept their matters private. However, Nia learning about her heritage was an advantage since Yuki would need guidance later on. They were both purebloods after all. "Do you agree?"

"Yes," the ash blond man agreed without questioning him further.

Kaname appreciated not being questioned because he would have turned away from him in silence. His reaction might have appeared rude but purebloods had their own secrecy for reasons. Outsiders gaining knowledge on their secrets were unwelcome. This was the reason the Council kept tabs on each pureblood. They were trying to learn information that could help them rule over purebloods.

"Good. I must cut our conversation short, Kaien." He already kept Ichijo waiting too long. Who knew what other vampires the Council sent to look for them?

"I understand. Thank you for assistance," Kaien said.

"Don't worry. Just take good care of them." They were very important girls in the vampire society. Besides being purebloods, one of them meant the world to him; his precious Yuki.

"I will."

"I hold you to your words," Kaname said before he retired for the night.

OoO

I died.

It was plain and simple.

I was dead and somehow, I was reborn in Vampire Knight.

It was a reality I refused to accept.

I could remember my old life so clearly. I could feel being a twenty-year-old college student with a close bond to my fifteen-year-old sister and having loving parents. My life was boring, predictable and carefree. I had all the freedom in the world after I was done doing my responsibilities.

Now, I was stuck in Yuki's and my room with Yuki trying her best to cheer me up. Her attempts went in vain.

I just wanted to be alone, like in a massive library, only I couldn't sneak out of the house again. Kaien was beginning to pay attention to my every move.

There was nowhere in Cross' house that I could be alone.

And it was like I had no choice but to withdraw in myself.

I had died and I left my little sister alone.

"Amy," I whispered.

"Amy?" Yuki repeated the name. Apparently, I forgot that Yuki was in hearing distance from me.

I didn't answer her.

"Who is Amy?" she asked all of a sudden. Her small heart shaped face popped in my line of vision. Innocent chocolate eyes peered at me through long dark lashes.

I closed my eyes and turned my face away from her.

"Nia, who is Amy? I never heard you say that name before." That was because I didn't remember that name until the night Kaname rescued me from being attacked from another Level E vampire.

"You're not going to tell me?" the girl questioned with disbelief.

I felt her put her small hands on my shoulders. "Nia, are you okay?"

I wanted to ask her 'do I look okay?' but I remained quiet.

"I'm not father and I'm not Kaname-sama. You don't have to be quiet." The child knew how to push my guilty buttons but I realized that this time I couldn't focus on her.

I shrugged my shoulders and stepped away from her. She couldn't make me feel better nor could the other people from Vampire Knight. No one could make me smile.

Damn it!

I died!

How could someone get over such a thing?

I turned my back on her.

"Nia, where are you going?" She was coming toward me as I walked away from her. "Nia?"

"Leave me alone," I simply told her.

"Nia?"

"You live an innocent life. You are loved by everyone, Yuki," I said while slightly shaking my head. I was trying my best to be strong. For goodness sake, I was an adult trapped in a child's body yet all I wanted to do was cry. It seemed like I was crying a lot lately and I detested people who cried like babies.

The irony of my situation.

"You have everything in life. You can never understand how I feel." I knew I was being unfair to Yuki. It was her innocence and her vivaciousness that drew people to her but for an instant I couldn't help envy her.

I died. I lost my parents and Amy.

And now I knew I couldn't return home.

I lost everything.

I heard a sob behind me but I ignored it. I kept my back-facing Yuki as I walked out of our bedroom.

OoO

Yuki couldn't help her cousin, who she viewed more like an older sibling than a relative, and the fact that she couldn't make the silver haired girl smile was driving her up a wall. She also felt like she wasn't keeping her promise to Kaname-sama. Whenever she tried to approach Nia, there were some cold words and a brisk shoulder.

She couldn't remember a time she cried as much as she did because Nia wasn't talking to her.

Even Kaien didn't know how to react to the child.

Now, Yuki was watching Nia sitting at the dinner table appearing lifeless. There were dark circles under her eyes, which was similar to the color of her eyes. Her skin appeared pastel white and her clothes were rumpled. She didn't pick up the fork to eat Kaien's stew beef with white rice.

The brunette looked at the meat. It smelled delicious but Yuki knew there was an ingredient that Kaien missed. He usually missed a couple of ingredients that could flavor his food quite nicely. Nia was the one to make the final adjustments so that they could both eat without worrying of being sick later.

However, her cousin wasn't herself.

Yuki picked up her fork and stabbed the meat. The way the sharp ends of the fork pierced through the beef, Yuki could tell the beef was hard. She grimaced as she brought the meat to her mouth.

"Yuki," Kaien called her. Momentarily, she glanced away from the food with relief. Her father didn't seem to notice. He smiled pleasantly at her as his glasses shined from the kitchen light.

"Mmmm," she answered.

"We're going out tonight. Make sure to dress up warmly."

She put down her fork with the food on her plate of food. "What? Where are we going?"

"Nothing spectacular but it will be surprise."

Her face glowed for a moment at the thought of getting out the house. It had been awhile since she and Nia went outside together. She glanced at Nia to not see a flicker of emotion on the girl's face. She couldn't help but ask the Kaien who became a father figure to her.

"Is Nia coming too?"

The man hesitated as he exchanged looks between the two girls. Again, Nia gave no response. "No," he finally answered.

Yuki frowned. "Why?"

"Maybe," he said awkwardly. He began to turn the meat around on his plate as he looked away from her. "She needs some time to think alone."

Yuki gasped. Quickly, her eyes darted to Nia. She was always around her cousin that she never thought to leave the silver haired girl alone. It was just natural for them to be together and then there was her promise to Kaname-sama. Yuki looked down at her own food. More shame filled her.

"Yeah," she agreed. She couldn't voice out the rest of her feelings about her shame. Later on, she would apologize to Nia.

For the rest of dinner time, everyone remained quiet.

OoO

I couldn't help how I reacted to the others. Kaien and Yuki became distant as I build invisible walls around myself.

I refused to eat food, I didn't sleep well and I didn't respond to Kaien and Yuki in any way.

I simply walked away from them when we were in the same room, like what I did at dinner.

They finally had enough of my behavior and went out for the evening.

I had the house to myself.

And I let out all the pent-up rage.

I grabbed blank pieces of paper and a pen and I began scribbling all the information I knew about Vampire Knight. I started with the three main characters: Kaname, Yuki and Zero. Then I wrote about their traits and history. Other minor characters followed after them. I scribbled event after event –causes and effects, problems and solutions.

I spread out all the sheets on the floor, putting them in chronological order to the best of my knowledge.

As I examined Vampire Knight, I realized the manga was very much a tragedy.

I scrutinized different possibilities and no matter how I thought each character could live, Kaname, Yuki and Zero still didn't have their happy endings.

I really hated love triangles.

Why?

Because there was a chance that one character, in this instance a male, would be left out of the loop.

No wonder Kaname sacrificed himself.

He chose for Yuki when she was incapable of choosing for herself.

I shook my head as I felt my heart pounding loudly in my chest. I held onto Kaname's paper in my trembling hand. Tears renewed in my eyes but this time my tears were for him. He lost the hooded woman, sacrificed everything for Yuki and still died.

It was unfair what happened to him and to the others.

But my heart felt more for him.

We both lost many precious things.

Only there was a chance the events could play out differently for him.

Then, I furiously shook my head until my pale hair was wildly shoved in my face, obscuring my vision of all the sheets lying callously on the floor.

A vehicle pulled up to the Cross house. On alert, I raised my head to the living room window. The headlights from a dark vehicle were peering through the living room window. The lamps were on in the room to notify whoever was outside that someone was home. Hastily, I gathered all the papers on the floor and scrambled into my room. I pushed the papers under the bed.

There were loud knocks on the front door. I could hear them from my bedroom. My eyes widened as it dawned on me that Kaien and Yuki weren't home. I was home alone, completely defenseless to whomever was outside. And something that made this world far more dangerous than the other world in my previous life was vampires existed.

I was not safe.

I opted to close the bedroom door and I heftily dragged a chair from one of the desks to the door. I tilted the wooden chair so that the top of the frame was under the doorknob and two of the legs found purchase on the floor. Anyone who tried to shove the door open would hit another barrier.

There was a broom I kept at the side of the bed. I reached for it and with all the strength I could muster in my small frame, I snapped the broom in two.

I might be frail but I wasn't going to stand around let something bad happen to me.

I was going to fight back.

There was another set of knocks on the front door before I heard a crash. Heavy footsteps made way down the hall. Slowly those footsteps halted outside the bedroom door. It seemed like the unknown figure knew the household. The doorknob didn't have a lock and I saw it turned. There was a creak before the door slammed into the chair. I raised the broom in my hands as my heart thundered in my ears.

Panic thrummed into me as I held the sharp end the broom toward the enemy.

The figure shoved harder against the door, causing the legs on the chair to squeal against the floor. I knew from a few more pushes the chair was going to give away leaving me to face whoever was trying to get into the bedroom.

My hands were getting sweaty as I took a step back. The figure strongly pushed against the door a couple of times before the chair gave out and the door flew open. Standing on the threshold was bright red eyes of a tall vampire.

And it wasn't just any vampire looming on the threshold. I was staring at Kaname.

A whoosh of breath left me. The pathetic weapon of a broom fell from my hands. Glowing red eyes shifted to the broken handle as it rolled lamely to him. He glanced back at me. I could have sworn the corner of his lips curled upward.

But in a flash his face returned expressionless as he moved toward me. I backed away, frightened by the vampiric glow in his eyes. I knew Kaname would never hurt Yuki but I was a different matter. I didn't know his reaction to me.

And worse, I had to face him alone.

I opened my mouth and my vocal cords refused to work.

"Nia," he said in his cool tone. I only wished his eyes would stop burning red.

I bumped into a wall as I stared at him with wide eyes. All coherent thought left when red filled my vision. He was standing very close to me. The air around us was very warm. Tendrils of hair moved against my cheeks with his every breath. My hands flattened against the wall. I felt like I was let loose in a cage with a predator.

"Nia," he said my name again, only this time he lost that trace of coolness. Slowly, he placed a hand at the side of the wall, right next to my head. I inhaled deeply. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.

"You're a bad girl." Heat infused with the fury in his red eyes. "You made Yuki cry."

Oh gosh! I hated to be right and in this moment, I knew that Yuki's well-being was what granted me a chance to live. As long as I was useful to Yuki, I was useful to him.

He curled his hand into a fist against the wall. I could feel the tension in his body as if he was gaging how to deal with me. He tended to punish those who didn't follow his rules or commands. I wasn't one of his vampire underlings. I was a human being who was somehow related to him and Yuki.

If Yuki was around, she would face him with her gentle smiles.

And there, my train of thought went. It seemed like I was always looking for protection of some sort. This pureblood vampire saved me from Level E vampires and Yuki saved me from having to deal with him. Both of them were shielding me.

All of a sudden, I closed my eyes as humiliation filled me. A long breath escaped me. I treated Yuki horribly. I was so selfish, so caught up in my feelings that I forgot about her.

Yuki, was protecting me in her own way, and I abandoned her.

Why didn't I see it?

Tears leaked from my closed eyes. I let my body slide down the wall until my knees pressed against my wet face.

I didn't feel Kaname's body close to me anymore and I was too embarrassed to look up at him.

"You are a very intelligent girl," he replied. From his tone, I could tell he returned to himself, composed, elegant and distant. "Now, continue to be a good girl." It didn't take a genius to figure out what he implying. I heard a thud from an object being placed in front of me. Sniffling slightly, I heard his footsteps recede from the room.

I wasn't stupid to think he was going to leave me alone for the rest of the evening. If anything, Kaien must have informed him about my behavior. And I couldn't find fault in the vampire hunter. I had to come to terms with the possibility of me never going home. This was my home, now.

I shook my head. I might have been an adult trapped in a child's body, but I was childish.

Kaname was the one to snap me back in the right direction. I was a rocking boat in a furious storm. To survive the storm, I needed an anchor to keep me from drifting into the depths of the rough seas. Yuki was that anchor.

I wiped away the tears with the back of my hands and with a new resolve, I lifted my head. I wasn't surprise when I found the dark bound book that I couldn't find in the library laying a couple inches away from me.

So, he knew about my little escapades to the library. How else did he find me the night I was wandering around?

But if he left the book for me, clearly, he was leaving the message I was delving in the right area for information. Although he was very intimidating, he was allowing me to sate my curiosity.

Yet, it hurt me, that though we were related by blood and we were family, we would never be close. Yuki would be the link that connected us.

His words came back to me. _"You are a very intelligent girl. Now, continue to be a good girl."_ There was underlying threat to his words. To exist in his world, I had to take care of what was most precious to him, Yuki.

My eyes hardened with steel as I opened the book. I found my purpose.

OoO

I was always good at doing my duty and it was my duty that kept me going until I was ten years old. I took care of Yuki. I made sure I was there for her, which was every possible waking moment. At first it wasn't easy. Since she returned home that night and we apologized to each other, I tried my best to make her smile. I made her food, I picked and ironed her clothes, I taught her what she didn't understand from Kaien's personal teaching sessions and I listened to her chatters. But I got sick in the process and Kaien was the one to take care of me. Even Kaname came to visit me and it was an awkward one. I refused to let go of Yuki's hand when he was in the bedroom with us. I could tell she wanted to give us some alone time but our last encounter wouldn't leave my mind. He was dangerous as I perceived him to be. Only with Yuki was he able to control himself. He loved her that much.

In fact, Yuki was only his weakness. And me knowing this, I used it to my advantage.

I didn't say a word as Yuki did all the talking for me. When he left, I was able to breathe properly again.

Yuki never asked me why I felt uncomfortable in Kaname's presence. She naturally seemed to understand that I felt wary of him and I was grateful for that silent communication between us. If we weren't cousins, one would think we were sisters.

But she did notice how flighty I became when he visited. I couldn't be in the same room with him as I looked for every excuse possible to leave. And I became crafty with my excuses. I left with Yuki so he couldn't catch me alone or I sent Yuki with him and stayed with Kaien.

And with more time, I grew to respect Kaien. He might be dangerous but he couldn't fake the gentle fondness he held for Yuki and me in his hazel eyes. In ways, he protected me from Kaname, like being in the kitchen to help him prepare dinner or when I sat next to him to read a book. The icing in my heart thawed for him as I began to view him like family. However, I still had some pride left not to call him father.

But on this particular night, a familiar scene was taking place and I had to steal myself away from it. There was going to be a new addition to our family, Zero Kiryu. And if I remember the scene well, Yuki was the one to make the first impression. I had to steel my nerves when I saw Kaien's tall frame hovering over a small figure. The vampire hunter appeared to be protective and gentle as he motioned the boy to enter the house.

I hid behind the doorframe that led into the hallway, glad that my hair for once was able to stay up in a ponytail. The young boy wouldn't be able to make out my hair color from the off-white paint on the walls. Yuki, dressed in a cream sweater and a gray short skirt, seemed startled by Kaien's visitor. We weren't accustomed to seeing anyone else besides Kaname.

"This is Kiryu Zero," he introduced with a soft voice. "His family were killed by evil vampires"

I peeked at them. I didn't have to worry about the boy with silver hair looking at me. His eyes were shut. Then he opened them and I heard Yuki's startled gasp. There was hatred raging in his eyes. Quickly, I hid behind the wall. "Let him take a bath. I have important matters to deal with."

I resented the fact that Kaien was easily able to leave Zero with Yuki. I clutched a closed fist over my heart. I had to control the urge to protect her. Zero might be close to a Level E vampire but he didn't bite her until Cross Academy. Kaien wouldn't be careless to leave a crazy vampire in his daughter's care.

It seemed like I thought too soon. "By the way," I heard him say, "Do you know where Nia is?"

"Umm… uh… she was next to me just now," Yuki answered him.

"She should be here to help you. Nia!" He called to me.

I felt like cursing. Either I could appear at Yuki's side or pretend I didn't hear him. I decided the second option. As I was about to head in my room, Kaien, Yuki and the boy appeared at the doorframe. "Nia, there you are."

I forced myself to turn around. I was careful to keep my face blank. "Help Yuki take care of our new guest. He will be staying with us."

I wanted to ask how long, but knowing Kaien's good heart and watching Vampire Knight anime, I kept quiet.

Then, the vampire hunter left us alone with a vampire-to-be boy.

There was an awkward silence between us.

Yuki was the one to break it. "How about we go to the bathroom?"

The boy, draped in a long dark green coat, stood his ground as Yuki walked ahead of him. I stayed where I was. She paused beside me when she realized he wasn't following her. She turned around and carefully asked him, "Can I touch you?"

He didn't say anything. She slowly approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. His reaction was immediate. He slapped her hand away and glared at her with lavender eyes. How could someone with beautiful eyes hold such hatred?

Yuki gasped. She stepped back while cradling the hand she touched him with. I took my cue and intervened. I stepped protectively in front of her small body with my arms outstretched on either side of me. My ponytail swayed behind me. I showed him a fierce expression.

His eyes widened when he saw me and for a moment he looked unguarded. So many different emotions flickered in his lavender eyes. If he didn't hit Yuki's hand, I would have examined those feelings with analytical eyes. But he messed with someone important to me and I had to let him know his place. He was staying with us, but he had to be civil toward the occupants in Cross' home.

Then he closed his eyes and lowered his head.

I gave Yuki a look. She tried again but she didn't touch him. "Let's go to the bathroom."

She turned around and began walking away. I averted my attention to the boy to catch him strangely watching me. He looked away and waited until there was enough distance between him and Yuki before he moved after her. He stopped mid-step when Yuki finally reached the bathroom. Only he was still a foot away from her. She put on the light and gestured to the bathroom. Again, he stared hostilely at her. He acted like he didn't want her around him.

This didn't happen in the anime. I realized I had to take matters in my own hand. "Yuki, how about you look for some extra warm clothes for him?" I suggested. "I will fill the bathtub with hot water."

Astonishment flashed in her dark eyes. I didn't talk in front of other people. She was the only one I talked too.

But she understood our situation and she nodded her head. She continued down the hall and disappeared in Kaien's bedroom.

"Okay," I turned to him. "Are you going to stand there the whole night are you going to take a hot bath, eat something and go to bed." I wasn't in the mood to be a softy to him, not when he insulted such a kind person in front of me.

Again, he had a strange look in his eyes as he stared at me. I felt it as I went into the bathroom and turned on the faucet. I set the water at the right temperature and clogged the drain. Throughout everything, I felt his unnerving stare. Finally, I had enough of his rudeness.

I swiveled on my feet and put my hands on my hips. "Seriously, do I have something on my head?"

He didn't say a word. I rolled my eyes upward. Now, he was the mute one in this strange family we were becoming. I knew he went through a rough experience, but my nerves were frazzled. Out of loyalty for my cousin and knowing he was going to be a vampire, I felt like I had to be defensive.

In fact, I was happy that I was the one dealing with him, not Yuki. If anything happened to her, then….

"Get in the tub," I ordered him. He just remained rooted in his spot at the door. I blinked my eyes. He followed me, I realized. He didn't budge for Yuki but he listened to me. Again, I blinked my eyes.

I sighed. "Please, get in the tub." Suddenly, he moved to the bathtub. He pulled the coat from his frame and it pooled at his feet. My eyes widened at the sight of him. He was shirtless. However, I didn't see blood marring his pale skin. Instead, there was a strange tattoo on the left side of his throat. Instantly, I knew he was already a vampire. A bounded vampire.

There was a good enough reason to not let Yuki get close to him. I was a hundred percent certain that Kaname would feel the same way.

But that didn't answer the question as to why Kaien let him be with us.

His hands moved to the button on his pants and I almost squealed. "What the heck are you doing?"

He just gave me a quizzical look.

"Wait until I'm out of the bathroom and then you can get into the tub!" I almost yelled at him. Hastily, I moved to the door. I hoped he wasn't laughing at me as I still felt his unnerving gaze.

The moment I closed the bathroom door, I sighed in relief. Yuki was waiting outside with a handful of clothes. From her raised eyebrows, I could imagine that she witnessed him undressing before me. "Don't ask," I muttered.

"I wasn't planning to," she replied.

I let out another sigh before I went to sorting out the clothes. It seemed like I had my hands my full. Besides taking care of Yuki, I had to watch Zero carefully because he was already a vampire.

I frowned. Already, the events were altered yet they were still following the anime. How? I thought I was being careful not to change anything, unless my presence already did change some of the events. I mean, how else was Yuki able to be my cousin?

Crap! Was Shiki still going to exist? Or was I his replacement?

Double crap! I smacked my palm against my forehead.

"Are you okay?" Yuki asked me.

I slightly shook my head. "The newcomer bothers me."

"I hope we can become friends," Yuki said a bit nervously. Her eyes shifted to the bathroom door.

"You will," I assured her while putting a hand on her shoulder for comfort.

I really loved her optimistic nature. She smiled at me. "Yeah, you're right."

I nodded my head, returning her smile with one of my rare smiles. Yet in my mind, I was already formulating a plan on how they could be friends without there being a risk to her safety.

* * *

 **A/N:** Wow and thank you! You're all too good to me. *Bows.* I really appreciate your support in this story. Without you, this story can't take shape. I'm really surprised that you accept Nia Kuran's character and I do hope I continue to do this story justice.

By the way, I'm sorry for not writing a long time. Two things happened to me, NaNoWriMo and Final Fantasy XV. Final Fantasy XV is still happening to me but I get a short break in between to update this story and I did write this chapter in a space of two months.

Well, what do you think so far? How about Zero's last minute appearance in this chapter? I look forward to reading your reviews. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

It had been almost a year since Zero Kiruyu became a member of the Cross family, although he didn't consider himself one. He refused to call his teacher, Kaien, father like how the brunette girl did. It was weird.

Then there was the fact that the Cross household housed strange people. He didn't want to begin with the eccentric vampire hunter. One could look at him and name all his odd tendencies. But the two girls, on the other hand, were different. He didn't know how to describe them.

The brunette girl wore her heart on her sleeve. She smiled at everything and made a lot of unnecessary chatter. She was quite energetic for someone her age and she was very attached to her cousin. The brunette was always looking for her cousin's approval. Sometimes she looked for Kaien's approval too but most of the time she stayed close to her cousin.

It was scary to see how they worked in sync. The white-haired girl didn't talk much but both girls shared a camaraderie. For instance, after they finished dinner, the white-haired girl did the dishes while the other girl cleared the table, and swept the floor. When they were both in the living room reading their books, they both would get up at the same time to retire in their bedroom.

Even now, they were working silently on homework in the kitchen.

Zero slightly narrowed his eyes on the girl with the pale hair. She was the one who puzzled him the most. Since he first saw her, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. For some reason, she seemed familiar, like he met her before or someone like her. He just didn't know where. She didn't talk to anyone but her cousin and she did everything for the girl -from ironing her clothes to tucking her in at night. She acted more like she was the girl's servant.

In a sense, the white-haired girl reminded him of his family with how she looked after the other girl. His parents used to do everything for his twin brother while he worked hard in his vampire hunter training to get their attention. But his time and dedication on becoming stronger wasn't enough for his parents. They were only concerned for his sickly brother.

Zero shook his head. He rather not think about his past. Instead, he turned his attention to the pencil's constant tapping on the wooden table. The brunette girl sat on one of the chairs at the kitchen table with a pencil in hand and a math book open. There were a bunch of multistep word problems that she couldn't solve on her own. The other girl stood patiently beside her. Her long pale hair fell over her slim shoulders. She slightly hunched over as she took the waving pencil from the dark-haired girl and began scribbling numbers. When she was done, she lightly placed the pencil in the center of the book, leaving her cousin to see what she did.

"Oh! That's how you do it!" The other girl exclaimed. The brunette wrapped her arms around the girl's waist. "Thanks Nia!"

Nia simply stood in place as she waited for her cousin to let her go.

Zero knew she could talk. She talked to him during their first encounter. Now she stared at him with quiet disdain. He didn't fault her because he shown contempt toward her cousin, Yuki. There was just something about the brunette girl that sent rage seething in him.

Nia turned to look at him, as if she sensed his presence. Again, he found himself looking into her unnatural garnet eyes, like he usually did. They reminded him of a vampire gone in bloodlust.

He should hate her like he did with other vampires because of those eyes but he'd seen beyond that. He witnessed her futile attempts of physical training outside of the house. Under her black long sleeve shirt and blue jeans were dark reddish and purplish bruises from her punching and kicking a tree. There was a wince in her every step she tried to hide and any chores that required movement was done slowly and methodically.

He was curious as to why she pushed herself so hard that she neglected her health while taking care of an eleven girl, who could look after herself.

The white-haired girl crossed her arms over her chest as she gave him one of her hard stares. He wasn't fazed by her. In fact, he observed her long enough to know her reactions.

Her posture spoke of defiance. Her eyes were steel. She stood in front of the other girl who was oblivious to his company.

"Nia, I don't understand problem 5. Can you show me what to do?" the brunette questioned.

Instantly, he noted the change in Nia's demeanor. Her eyes thawed of the ice and her facial expression relaxed at the girl's need. She turned her back to him. There was a slight intake of breath while she shifted most of her weight on her left leg. Apparently, over kicking the tree was taking a toll on her right leg.

He stepped back from the kitchen to leave them to finish their studies or rather the dark-haired girl's studies. Again, why did Nia have to help her cousin do her homework? The brunette was capable of figuring out how to solve the math problems. Too much coddling was no good. It only made a person more dependent.

A young boy with silver hair and wide innocent lavender eyes flashed in his mind. The boy looked exactly like him. Zero slapped a hand to his forehead to wipe the image away.

His twin brother was gone like the rest of his family.

Needing to find respite, he made his way to the living room and leaned against the wall right next to the fireplace. The light crackling from the fire and the kitchen light peeking through the room were the only light sources reflecting on his lean figure. Slowly, he raised his hand to his white shirt to peel the fabric away from his skin. He exposed his dark tattoo while fleetingly rubbing his thumb and forefinger over the intricate mark. It was a sacred tattoo meant to subdue vampires, which the Vampire Hunter Association created to control vampires. As a vampire, he was deemed useful with the right master. Only he never expected to be anywhere near humans.

He heard shuffles of footsteps moving toward the living room. He hoped the girls weren't observant to find him. To cancel out the noise, he sank to the ground while clutching the side of his neck and closed his eyes. After a while, his eyes fluttered open to see the white-haired girl looming over him. Her hands were on either side of her hips as she shifted most of her weight on her left leg. Her glare was absent for once.

Then she did something that was completely uncharacteristic of her. She lowered herself to the ground until she was eye level with him and she caught his hand in between both of hers. She pulled his hand toward her while she glanced at his tattoo. Sympathy flickered in her dark irises.

He pulled the appendage she held away from her. The last thing he wanted was her pity. She could save her emotions for the girl she pampered.

Her eyelashes drifted down to conceal her feeling but the tightness at the corners of her mouth and under her eyes spoke volumes. He had hurt her.

Zero frowned. Why did she suddenly care for him?

Her eyelashes flickered upward and her face became stoic, leaving him to wonder if the emotion she earlier showed him was real. No, there was no way she would feel anything but scorn for him. He had gotten the message loud and clear since he first stepped foot into the Cross residence. He was not welcomed.

So he stood up and lashed out his rage on her. "Why don't you go back and coddle up that princess?"

Not one willing to be subjugated by anyone, Nia rose on her two feet. A hiss escaped her and she repositioned herself to be able to lessen the strain on her pained leg. Instead of answering him back, she chose to stare at him calmly.

"What's the point in you standing there if you're not going to answer me? Just leave already."

She stepped, no, more like she hopped back. He made sure not to show concern on his countenance. She paused as she lifted her right foot in the air. Her voice was as quiet as the wind that he almost missed her words. "You're not the only one who lost someone dear to you."

His eyes widened.

"Yuki and I are orphans just like you." The anger died inside him.

She winced as she turned away from him. The tough girl act she put up for Yuki diminished. She was showing him her true colors.

He couldn't help himself for giving into his curiosity. "Why do you treat her like she's a princess?"

She stopped and craned her neck over her shoulder to look at him. From her profile, he saw the side of her lips curled upward. "Because she is one."

"Then you're a princess as well," he quipped. Every little girl believed she was a princess.

"No," she replied, startling him. "I'm her shield."

Her response was simple but it left him feeling more confused as he watched her limped away from him.

OoO

I had been careless again. Not only did I go overboard with training but I talked to the silver haired boy.

I shook my head and inhaled a deep breath. Yuki was already lying in bed. Her lamp was off, leaving mine on. If I didn't take it off anytime soon, she would worry. I laid out on my bed, careful not to stretch my leg out too much. The muscles in my right leg might spasm if I straightened it out so I left it slightly bent. I reached out to take off the light when I heard a shift from the other bed.

"Nia, are you okay?" the other girl asked me.

"I'm okay," I answered her. I craned my neck in her direction and blinked at her. "Why do you ask?"

There was a slight pause. Then I heard her intake of air. "You've been acting different."

I blinked my eyes again. "What makes you say that?"

She shrugged shoulders, causing the covers to lift with her movement. "I don't know. I feel it."

Something I was learning about Yuki was she was more intuitive than in the anime. I hoped as she got older she didn't lose it. Her instincts might be the key to saving both Zero and Kaname.

"Well, I'm okay." I sat up on the bed in a slow motion. I twisted my torso so that I was facing her. "Thanks."

"Are you sure?" Yuki peeled away the covers from her body as she sat up. The light from my lamp shown on her pale complexion under her pajamas. "I saw you practicing outside again."

I shook my head again while I laughed. Truly, I couldn't hide anything from her.

"What?"

"I can't keep anything from you," I commented.

"It's not that I'm watching you or anything," the brunette girl suddenly waved her hands in the air. Instantly, we both knew what she said was a lie. She was keeping a careful eye on me so I wouldn't make another disappearing act. In her innocence, she was relaying my actions to Kaien. I wouldn't be astonished if Kaien knew about my practice sessions. But I was shocked that he didn't offer to train Yuki as yet. By the time Zero and her attended Cross Academy, she had some training in defending herself.

Why was he hesitating with training her?

Plus, when would the time come for him to retire being a vampire hunter? By the time Yuki reached twelve years, Kaien was the headmaster of Cross Academy in the anime.

Was I missing something?

"Don't worry, Yuki. I know you look out for me like how I do for you," I assured her.

She sighed in relief, then she raised her head. Her dark eyebrows tugged together. "Why do you keep hurting yourself?"

My lips shifted upward in a small smile. "I'm working on something important."

"What is so important that you're willing to hurt yourself?"

My lips stretched wider across my face at her inquisitiveness. I wondered if she turned this way because I was around. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." Her retort resorted to my laughter.

I muffled my uneven breaths under my hand while she seriously looked at me. When I felt composed, I lifted both my hands in the air as a sign of surrender. One lesson I learned the hard way was not to upset Yuki. I didn't want to face Kaname alone again. My body shuddered at the thought.

I took in a deep breath as I averted my attention to the ceiling. "I want to learn to protect myself."

"Why?"

My hands clenched into fists as I recalled being helpless twice. Kaname had to save me each time. "I don't want to be helpless again," I replied to Yuki truthfully. I was a little astounded by her question. I would have thought that Yuki wanted to get stronger because she wanted to protect herself as well.

There was a moment of silence. I peered at the other girl from the corner of my eyes. She lowered her head so I couldn't see her face. "But you hurt yourself. How is that helping you to defend yourself from them?"

Truly, I underestimate this girl. She was more intelligent then she let on in appearance. She knew "them" was the vampires. Again, I slightly shook my head in hopelessness. "I don't know. I just hope that my body gets use to pain and with time my body gets stronger."

"It's not working," she revealed.

I noticed my training wasn't working either.

"How about we ask Kaien-sama?" she asked.

"No!" I blurted out and I had to cover my mouth with both my hands. I hoped that neither Kaien or Zero ran into our room. The last thing I wanted to do was deal with either of them.

I waited thirty seconds before calmly answering her. "No. It's not a good idea to ask him for training-."

"Because you're not talking to him," she finished for me. "Seriously, I don't know why you won't speak to him. I see how you look at him. You accept him."

Yuki was quite observant, but she wasn't close to reading me out. Although my heart was thawing toward Kaien, I still couldn't help the uneasiness I felt around him. The ash blond was still a deadly vampire hunter. Sometimes I imagined him turning on me if I became a vampire, or worse, he discovered my secret.

"I'm grateful to Kaien-sama for everything but I'm not ready to talk to him yet."

"You have a weird way of showing your gratefulness."

Instead of throwing back a tort at the girl, I just let her comment slide. My lips stretched wide on my face. I was rubbing off on Yuki. She was speaking her mind rather than quietly enduring everything.

"Let's get some sleep."

She nodded her head. I heard the rustle of her sheets, indicating she lying in her bed. I reached over to my lamp and turned off the light.

OoO

Kaien was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner when Yuki saw him. She pulled out a chair, sat down and watched him deftly sliced each carrot into fine pieces. She could assume that he was making a salad since it was safer to eat salad than any other dish he cooked. As he finished chop the carrots, he lifted the chopping board with the fine pieces of cut carrots. He slid the sharp edge along the chopping board, dishing the carrots into a bowl. He looked up to acknowledge her. The sunlight from the kitchen window glinted off his spectacles.

"Is there any way I can help you, Yuki?" he questioned.

"Well, umm… yes," she said. She found out that she couldn't look him in the eye. Nervously, she brushed long dark locks behind her ear.

He placed the knife on the kitchen table. A finger went to the bridge of his nose to slightly lift his glasses. "What is it?"

The brunette gulped. Why was she having second thoughts about asking for his help? It took a lot work to go against her cousin. Nia didn't agree with asking Kaien for help in training them to fight. But since the night they had the little chat, Yuki felt a strong urge to learn to fight. She, too, didn't want to feel helpless. Nia was the one who threw herself in front of the accosting vampire while Yuki froze.

"Yuki?" Her father called to her. He wiped his hands on a towel before resting a hand on her forehead. His cool touch caused her to gasp and shift away from him.

"I'm sorry," the man apologized. He put his hand down on the table while he bent his head in shame. "I didn't mean to startle you."

The girl felt bad for reacting badly to him. Kaien was always trying to help Nia and her. She couldn't understand why her cousin didn't fully trust the man who took them in their home and raised them as their daughters. Surely, Nia was hiding something. She was always omitting information.

"No, I'm sorry," Yuki apologized. "It's just I have…." She bit her bottom lip in hesitation.

"What is it, Yuki? If you need help with a problem, I will try my best to help you," he encouraged his daughter as he raised his head.

"You see, Nia is training really hard to become a fighter," Yuki finally managed to burst out. Once she found her courage, she couldn't stop herself. "I asked her why she's trying to learn to fight and she said she didn't want to feel helpless. I've been thinking about her response and I feel like her."

She shut her eyes and opened them. Kaien was taken aback by the determination shining in the chocolate depths. "I want you to train me to fight."

Kaien wasn't sure how to answer the girl. So he chose to openly gape at the brunette.

She brought her face closer to him while she frowned at him. "Kaien-sama?"

He blinked at her. She called him a respectful title when she felt like over stepped her bounds.

She backed up until her back rested against the chair. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Nia's right. I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry."

She was about to get up from her seat when he put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "It's me who should apologize to you, Yuki."

The girl looked up at him with watery eyes and he jerked in his spot uncomfortably.

His eyes darted away from her small figure. Some stupid father he was for making his daughter cry. "If you have a problem, you should never feel like you can't ask me for help. I am here to help you and Nia. That's why I'm a father." He said the last part as a reminder to himself.

"Okay," she said.

"And yes, I can teach you."

Her eyes widened. She wiped away the moisture from her eyes. "Really?"

Kaien didn't doubt the disbelief flashing across her small facial features. He, too, was astonished that he readily accepted to teach her to fight. He could already see the disapproving look in Kaname's dark eyes. The pureblood was going to kill him.

"Thank you!" The girl sounded so elated. Suddenly, she jumped out of her chair and hugged him, catching him off guard. "Thank you, father!" Her mirth bounced off the kitchen walls. Nia walked into the kitchen, staring at them suspiciously.

Yuki just turned to look at her cousin with a bright smile. "Dad is the best!" she cheered. She rushed out the kitchen, leaving two dumbfound people.

Yep, Kaname was definitely going to kill him.

OoO

Ever since the day Yuki asked Kaien to teach her how to fight she found she had less time to spend with Nia. Her evenings were spent outdoors training with Kaien. He wasn't an easy instructor. The moment he took off his glasses, he became an entirely different person. He made her run laps, lift heavy weights, and attack him or either Zero. And after every training lesson, she felt exhausted.

Even now, laying limply on the forest ground, she remained panting harshly for air after a vigorous training session. Zero sat down next to her, appearing unruffled from their earlier wrestling. In fact, his clothes were still clean compared to her white shirt and gray sweat pants that was smeared with mud. The boy literally rolled her into mud and sat on her while she tried her best to wiggle her way out from under him. The brunette girl had no chance of beating him with wrestling, combat fighting, swordsmanship and shooting accurately with a dart gun. It was as if Zero had been fighting his whole life. She now understood why Nia always appeared tired at the end of the day from her outdoor fighting sessions.

"That's it for now," Kaien simply stated as he put on his glasses. "Take a five-minute breather and then we'll head for home."

Zero simply nodded his head while she could barely respond. Her mouth felt like a desert. She could only close her eyes and try to swallow salvia to sooth the dryness in her throat.

Kaien nodded his head and left them alone. They weren't too far from the house. She knew that Kaien went to check on Nia to make sure she was okay.

When Yuki's breathing calmed, she slowly raised herself into a sitting position. The mud that caked her clothes and bare skin dried up, making her uncomfortable.

"You still have a long way to go," the silver-haired boy commented from next to her. If he didn't say a word, she would have sworn she was alone. The boy hardly ever talked to her.

"I know," she huffed back. "I did start training with you."

"More like you began training too late. Compare to a vampire, you're like a toddler."

She could barely cross her arms over her chest. They felt like lead. "You talk like you have a better chance at beating vampires than most other people."

He turned his head to her and smirked for once. "In fact, I do. I've been training to fight since the time I learned how to walk."

"That's impossible," Yuki retorted.

"Is it?" he asked while raising a pale eyebrow.

Yuki slightly bobbed her head. "Well, yeah. I mean we're humans…."

"I'm a vampire hunter," he said with ease.

"Vampire hunter?"

"Yes. They are specially trained humans who can compete with vampires."

"I know what vampire hunters are," she hissed at him.

"Then why ask?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't ask what vampire hunters are, I just can't believe you're one."

"Oh," Zero said. Gracefully, he rose to his feet and shoved his hands into his pants' pockets. "The old man didn't tell you and Nia."

"Dad is not old," she quickly replied before frowning. "And he didn't tell us anything about vampire hunters."

It was Zero's turn to frown while angling his head to the side so that Yuki got a good view of his profile. "That's strange."

"What's strange?"

There was a brief pause. The boy lowered his head, causing his snowy hair to conceal his face. He let out a long breath. "I thought that both of you knew I am a vampire hunter. I assume it was a reason for Nia's desire to get stronger."

"We didn't know."

He lifted his head to look at her and the sharp focus of his eyes on her made her gasp. "Then why are you both so interested in learning how to fight?"

She swallowed but the dryness in her throat still remained a problem. "We want to defend ourselves."

His eyes narrowed on her. "Really? Just a couple weeks ago you were being pampered like a princess. Your cousin was killing herself with her futile attempts to get stronger."

"We just want to be able to protect ourselves from vampires," Yuki whispered while putting a closed fist to her chest.

"Is that all?"

She was silent, trying to piece together what Zero meant.

"Your cousin mentioned you being a princess. Do you know what she means?"

The girl shook her head.

"Then how about her being your shield?"

Again, she shook her head.

"Do you know anything at all?" He averted his hostile stare from her.

She found she could breathe properly once more, only his insult caused her cheeks to flame. She stomped closer to him and she placed her hands on her hips. "What is that suppose to mean?"

His lips twisted into a small smirk. "I mean you're an idiot."

Did she hear him right? "What?" she yelled.

"You heard me."

Before she could say anything, Kaien returned to notify them that it was time for them to go home. Yet arriving where the two children were standing close to one another must have gave him the impression they were finally getting along. His face brightened as he clapped his hands together. "I see you're having a friendly chat -."

"We just finished," Zero interrupted. He walked past Yuki and the other vampire hunter.

The ash blond's face deflated before his expression brightened again. He dashed after the boy with silly comments leaving Yuki to trail after them. While heading back home though, she couldn't help but ponder on Zero's words. He was a vampire hunter. The things he said about her being a princess and Nia being his shield was weird. He must have been trying to irritate her. Well, she wouldn't let him bother her. She would ignore him like her did to her. But that was easier said than done.

OoO

It had been a long time since Yuki and I had last seen Kaname. I didn't mind because our last encounter left an unpleasantness coursing through my veins. But I couldn't say the same for Yuki. She was overjoyed with getting to see him that she was tugging on my arm too roughly as we dashed through the crowds. I had to admit I was astonished the brunette girl was brave enough to venture in town, especially with the sun sinking in the horizon. I knew how apprehensive she felt about the darkness and traveling through populated streets but she threw caution in the wind at the announcement of Kaname's visit.

She couldn't wait for him at home.

"Nia, we got to move faster!" she called out to me. She tightened her hold on me as we made a turn in an alleyway. I had no choice but to keep up with her.

We made another turn in a partly crowded street. Yuki decided to stop running, leaving me to bump into her non-gently. She tumbled onto the ground. Luckily, she didn't abrade her knees because blood would draw vampires.

I held out my hand for her to take. She put her hand in mine and I pulled her up to her feet. I couldn't help but notice the main difference in our appearance. Yuki dressed to impress her beloved Kaname with her short brown skirt, pink coat with white fluffs on her collar, a cute bag strapped around her petite body, black knee high stockings and penny loafers. I was simply dressed in black jeans, a gray coat, and dirtied white sneakers. I could've imagined my hair, which was almost as long as Yuki's in a rumpled mess around my shoulders. My blasting hair couldn't be tamed.

Yuki fussed about my choice in clothing before we left the house but unlike her, I wanted to have little to nothing to do with Kaname. I had to remind myself that I was only tagging along with her as part of my duty to protect her. Besides, Kaname was expecting me to take care of her.

She dusted off invisible dirt from her clothes as I rolled my eyes at her. She was breathing roughly whereas I already composed myself, waiting for the next set of events. If I remembered correctly from the anime, Yuki saw a vampire and Kaname saved her.

I looked around us, seeing people moving on with their daily vendettas. A part of me wondered what would life have been like for them if they knew vampires existed. Would they still walk the streets, looking clueless as they did now?

Yuki stilled. A breath escaped her, alerting me of her apprehension. I inwardly cursed for not being more vigilant. Following her gaze, a tall and attractive blond male attired in black fitting clothes and dark shades was making his way to us. The girl's hand grabbed my arm. She moved closer to me. Her chin pressed against my shoulder as her hold tightened. The distance between us and the stranger was getting smaller.

Adrenaline flowed through me as the urge to protect Yuki beat at me. I narrowed my gaze at the accosting vampire, trying to sense something different about him. He seemed to walk with a natural grace of a predator. He had an alluring presence to draw attention of others yet none of the other pedestrians around us seemed to notice him. Did that mean he could control who saw him?

Such a thought was frightening. A chill went down my spine.

Then, he stopped. Slowly, he dragged the sunglasses down the bridge of his nose to reveal sharp eyes of a hunter.

My unoccupied arm extended behind me and I clutched onto a smooth fabric. There was someone else standing behind us. Instantly, I acknowledged that Kaname was here with us. He had come to rescue us.

I clasped harder on the pureblood's coat as the vampire before us drew his attention away from us. I felt when Kaname's gaze moved from me to the other vampire. I imagined furious red-brown orbs staring right back at the vampire, daring him to challenge his authority. And of course, Kaname, in his regal, calm, and beautiful state still appeared deadly. He was like a bloody rose with thorns.

The vampire lifted a hand to his heart and bowed deeply and gracefully. He wasn't showing us respect but to the pureblood behind us. Automatically, I let go of Kaname's coat. Yuki's head whipped around, sending her brown locks flying around her face.

Her hand loosened on my arm as I heard one word tumbled out of Kaname's lips. "Yuki."

I kept my gaze on the vampire who backed away from us, seemingly forgotten by the reuniting pair.

"Kaname-sama!" Yuki returned. I didn't have to turn around to see them happily embrace each other.

"Aren't you afraid of walking around town alone?" he addressed only her.

"As long as you and Nia are here, I'm not afraid of anything." Her remark was innocent but it caused both of our eyes to widened. I turned away from the vampire who blended in the shadows of the corner buildings to see them. Kaname patted the girl's head lovingly and my heart clenched at the sight.

She hugged him with a contented expression on her face. He wrapped his arms around her small frame.

My lashes drifted downward as a sadness engulfed me. I was the outsider so I shouldn't be affected by Kaname and Yuki being together. Yet why did I feel like I wanted to burst into tears.

"Nia, let's go," a cheery voice broke through my melancholy. I lifted my eyes to the bright face of Yuki. She held out her hand to me as her other hand was being held by Kaname. Automatically, I noticed that Kaname didn't offer me his hand.

Did he not like me?

Another pain flared in my chest.

"Come on, Nia." Yuki didn't notice my distress. I was thankful. My fingers enclosed her hand and my lips strained to smile for her.

We began walking, the three of us hand-in-hand. Yuki was in the center as she was the link between me and Kaname.

I lowered my head, trusting that Yuki would guide me to our next destination safely, all while I tried my best to keep my tears at bay. Never did I notice how Kaname stared at my form from the time he hugged Yuki to when she held my hand. If I did, I might have wished with all my heart that I stayed at home.

OoO

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at my reflection. This was an action I avoided because I didn't care how I appeared. I already hated my crimson eyes, they bore a great reminder of me being Rido's daughter and they were the ticket for Zero and Kaname to hate me.

But staring at my reflection was another constant recap of me not belonging in Vampire Knight.

I shook my head and rested my forehead against the cool surface of the mirror while keeping my eyes open. I could practically drown in the red depths of misery.

For a moment, I had let myself believe I had a second chance of life. Time had a way of tricking the human mind.

I closed my eyes, refusing to let sorrow triumph.

I didn't want to be a sobbing heroine I detested.

Yet somehow, I allowed my emotions to get the better of me. I grew attached to Yuki, Kaien, Zero and… Kaname.

What the hell was I thinking?

My purpose was to become a shield to Yuki; to prevent her from sacrificing herself.

She was the key to Kaname's and Zero's happiness.

Vampire Knight revolved around her.

I couldn't dare challenge the events of Vampire Knight because….

My eyes shot open as a shuddering breath left me. How didn't I see it from the beginning?

I collapsed on the floor with a thud. Yuki heard me from the other side of the door. She began banging on it.

"Nia, are you okay?" she called out to me.

I opened my mouth to answer her, but my vocal cords refused to cooperate.

Her pounding got harder. "Nia, open up!"

I sat on the cold tiled floor as the world still continued to go on but I was frozen.

"Nia!" Her voice sounded panicked.

"Nia, open up!" Another masculine voice called out.

I didn't heed them.

The next thing I knew, the door thrashed open, hitting me in the process. I didn't care about the pain spiraling up my leg. I felt slender arms embrace me. A face buried against the crook of my neck. Another figure loomed over us with a concerned expression on his face.

"Nia," Yuki whispered to me. She brushed the hair away from my face.

"Yuki," I finally responded and I found myself hugging her back tightly.

Tears burst from my eyes as I held on to her for dear life.

In this world, Yuki was Vampire Knight.

OoO

Kaien had a full house now. He had three children to look after. It was natural for a parent to do everything in his/her will power in happiness for a child. Yet, he found he was chastising himself about whether he made the right decision for calling Kaname to come over. Ever since the situation with Nia in the bathroom, the girl closed herself up in a bubble. She didn't let anyone but Yuki in.

As a father, he was afraid to lose her. He had made progress to see the child smile at him. Yet, she now refused to look at him. The last time he called Kaname, she changed for the better. He hoped this would be the same case, only this time Kaname and Zero would be meeting for the first time.

Maybe it was too soon. Zero hated purebloods.

He shook his head while sighing. All three children walked into the kitchen. Each of them silently took their seat. Two of them were gazing at him. The white-haired child settled for looking at the table. He had called them for a quick meeting. Things were going to drastically change for them.

"So I called you all here for a reason," he began. He, too, took a seat in the only vacant chair. He pushed in his seat and folded his hands together. He turned his attention to each child. Yuki watched him with an air of friendliness. She smiled a little at him to encourage him to continue speaking. Zero, however, stared at him with aloofness. Although, some curiosity did peek into Zero's lavender eyes.

He cleared his throat. "This isn't going to be easy." He glanced down at his folded hands. "So you see, we've been here for awhile…."

Kaien felt the moment the pureblood was at the front door. He called the person who sat closest to the door to answer it. "Yuki, can you please greet our guest?"

The girl nodded her head as a big smile was plastered on her face. She already knew who was visiting them. Kaien smiled in her direction before turning to face the two other children. "I've decided that we're going to…."

"Kaname-sama," Yuki's voice greeted the visitor.

From the corner of Kaien's eyes, he saw Nia bristled. Her eyes darted from Zero to the entrance of the kitchen and back to Zero.

"Is it cold outside?" Yuki's voice echoed into the kitchen.

"So we're going to be living in a new space." But the vampire hunter was cut off by the appearance of Yuki. She was dragging a person behind her.

Zero eyed a cheery Yuki. A large hand patted her head and Yuki grinned affectionately at the visitor who was covered by a wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. The hand brushed tenderly down Yuki's face until it cupped her chin. The girl clasped at the appendage with her small hand. Nia sat stiffly in her chair. Her eyes were strangely on Zero and not the visitor.

"Kaname-sama," the brunette breathed.

Zero's eyes widened when everything suddenly turned tense.

Yuki tugged on the visitor's hand, bringing him into full view. The pureblood elegantly turned toward all the occupants in the kitchen. Kaien's eyes instantly moved to Zero. He could catch why Nia focused more on Zero than Kaname. It was as if Zero became possessed by something. The boy stood up. A sheen of hatred was evident in his pale eyes.

At the threshold, Yuki appeared innocent while Kaname was elegant but lethal. Zero fingers curled around a kitchen knife.

Yuki saw him reach for the knife and called him out. "No, Zero, don't!"

Kaname pushed Yuki back as Zero dashed toward them.

And then somehow, Nia inserted herself between Kaname and Zero. The knife stabbed into her upper left arm, causing the girl to gasp and winced. Fresh blood stained her white shirt and both Kaname and Zero's eyes flashed crimson. Zero, realizing what he did, stumbled back while trying to cover his face with his hands. Kaname turned his face to the side.

"Nia!" Yuki shouted. She rushed around Kaname to get to her cousin.

"I'm fine," the wounded girl barely said.

"Not you're not! You have a knife stuck in your arm!"

Kaien moved then. He pushed back Yuki from her cousin while he gently guided Nia away from the two vampires. Swiftly, he pulled the knife out of her arm and heard her hiss in pain. Blood began to spill from the wound, which wasn't a good idea around the two vampires. "Yuki, take Nia into the bathroom," he calmly instructed.

It was strange that the white-haired girl wasn't crying or complaining. Her small face was scrunched up in pain but that was all the reaction he was getting from her. When both girls disappeared from sight, he noticed that Zero's fangs pierced his wrist to keep from biting the girl. His eyes were glowing red. Kaien had to offer him his blood.

Kaname's reaction, on the other hand, was completely unexpected. "Kaname," the vampire hunter called the pureblood. "Are you okay?"

The pureblood snapped his head to him. His eyes were glowing a bloody color. Then, his eyes shifted to the hallway where the girls disappeared. Automatically, Kaien stiffened. The legendary vampire hunter was kindling from the dark depths of his person. If he had to protect his daughters from a pureblood, he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

"I must take my leave," Kaname said with great difficulty after staring at the hallway for what seemed like an eternity. He swiveled on his feet and disappeared, leaving the ash blond man to take a deep breath.

"Well, things could have ended up worse," he mumbled. He heard a chair moved and he went to tend to Zero, who desperately needed blood.

OoO

When everyone was asleep, I crept into the kitchen desiring the one thing that could comfort me; tea. I put on the stove to heat up the kettle. As I reached into the one of the kitchen cabinets, pain soared throughout my left arm. My right hand moved to soothe the injury. I never expected to react the way I did, it was all a reflex. I just wanted to protect Yuki and Kaname from Zero that I found myself body becoming a shield.

I tip toed to get to the top shelf. My right arm extended so I could pull down a cup with cherry blossoms. It was my favorite cup to drink tea. The kettle was beginning to steam up, signaling that it was almost done heating up. Instantly, I took it off. In the process of making tea, I had to wonder the next set of events for Vampire Knight.

From here on, things were going to be more difficult. For one, we still didn't move into Cross Academy. And two, Zero and I were definitely at a cross.

As I finished make my tea, I seated myself near the window with the moonlight streaming into the kitchen. Lightly, I sipped the cup of tea, sighing only when I swallowed the soothing liquid. Tea had a way of calming me, helping me to brainstorm ideas. I enjoyed drinking tea at night when everyone was asleep. I had the alone time I needed to collect my thoughts.

Again, pain spiraled on my upper left arm. I winced but welcomed the pain. It let me know I was alive.

However, this life was not about me.

My happiness didn't count. I had that chance in my previous life. As it was, I gathered that if I died and was allowed to remember the events of Vampire Knight, then I was granted a second chance for a reason. I assumed I given the chance to save Yuki, after all, the people she cared about were mostly affected by her actions.

So simply, if I saved her, Zero and Kaname would be alive. And her children could live with knowing their parents.

I took another sip of tea before placing the cup softly on the table.

It sounded like a plan. Now, I had to decide how she could be with both Kaname and Zero.

I sighed.

The air became heavier as I felt the hair at the nape of my neck stand up. I craned my neck over my shoulder to see a boy's frame casually leaning against the kitchen counter.

I blinked at him before turning my back to him.

"What are you doing up?" he questioned. He pushed himself off the counter and walked to the kitchen table.

"I'm just thinking," I answered him.

His eyes widened at my response. Apparently, he thought I was going to give him the silent treatment.

"Do you often drink tea in the night?" he questioned me again.

My eyes shifted to the window. Tonight, there was a full moon and it looked eerie hovering in the dark sky. The night was when vampires were awake like how the day were to humans. So, it was natural that Zero was going to be lurking about.

"You know that answer already," I replied.

He didn't say anything as he took a seat across from me.

"Will you like a cup of tea?" Since Takuma enjoyed his tea, I assumed that vampires could eat and drink like humans do.

He nodded his head. On cue, I got up and prepared him a cup of tea.

When I finished, I put the tea down in front of him.

He eyed the liquid before cradling the cup in between his fingers. He brought the drink to his lips, blowing at the steam. He pressed his lips against the rim of the cup. He sipped, closing his eyes to swallow the liquid. I found myself watching him in fascination. He looked stunning in a haunting way. My heart skipped a beat and I shook my head.

Kaname and Zero were Yuki's love interests.

I sat back down and cradled my mug. There was an awkward silence between us.

"I'm sorry," Zero broke the silence.

"What?" I snapped my head up to him.

"I'm sorry for earlier today." He refused to look at me.

I blinked at him before moving my head side-to-side in a slight manner. Was I hearing him right?

"You don't have to apologize-."

"I do," he interrupted. "I don't know what came over me but when I saw Yuki greeting a pureblood in that manner, I went insane."

I lowered my gaze. "Vampires are scary," I said recalling my experiences with vampires. I hated to admit it but Kaname made me overly cautious. He was the most powerful and lethal vampire around.

"Yes, but someone wise once told me that not all vampires are bad like not all humans are good."

Immediately, I lifted my chin and I looked at him with rounded eyes. Those words sounded so familiar to me but I didn't know where I heard them. My head began to pound that I pressed a hand to my forehead.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah, umm… who told you that if you don't me asking?"

"A friend of a friend, why?"

A breath froze in my lungs as my eyes darted to everywhere in the kitchen but him. I closed my eyes to slowly let go a breath. "I think someone told me that too."

"Really?"

"Yes, but this may sound strange. I can't remember who."

There was a moment of quietness. "I know what you mean. I felt the same way when I first met you."

Zero was full of surprises tonight. "What?"

"I felt like I knew you or I met someone who is like you."

It was my turn to say what he said to me. "Really?"

He nodded. "It's why I…." Then he faltered.

I didn't want to push him, so I opted to finish my tea.

"I don't hate all vampires. My parents were friends with some of them."

I almost choked on my tea. I wasn't expecting this change from Zero.

"But that pureblood looks like the vampire who killed my parents and then when you jumped in front of them, you reminded me of her," he continued

I placed my tea on the table and I precariously asked my next question. "Who?"

"Hio-sama, the pureblood who saved my life." My world tilted at his words.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well, this ends the chapter. I wanted to bring out the characters, although I apologize for the oocness. It's important that I form their relationships with one another because (*twists fingers*) I opened a poll in my profile. Remember when I said that you can vote for your pairings? Well, I officially did it and now you can let me know who you look forward to seeing together.

Also, BIG thank you for those of you who take your time to leave feedback in your reviews! Really, you're shaping up this story and you encourage me to update. Thank you for being so good to me! Please do leave your thoughts in a review. :)


	6. Chapter 6

Shizuka Hio was known as the "Mad Blooming Princess" in the Vampire Knight anime. The members in her family were known to go insane and for such reason she was kept in a cage from since birth. She was considered a rare and exotic creature. She was also Rido Kuran's fiancé.

Hio had a lover whom Zero's parents killed. To get revenge, she killed Zero's parents, bit Zero and took Ichiru away.

But this Shizuka Hio was different. According to Zero, she saved him from another pureblood.

I had to do a double take at his revelation. This greatly changed Vampire Knight. So I shouldn't be expecting any revenge from Hio in the years to come.

"Do you know who killed your parents?" I asked him.

Zero glanced down at his tea. His fingers tightened around the cup. He clenched his teeth together.

I looked down at my empty mug. "I'm sorry. I had no right to ask."

"Rido."

I blinked my eyes several times. "W-what?" I found the word tumbling out of me.

"Rido Kuran."

The pureblood who killed his parents was my father. Instantly, I stood up from my seat, causing the chair to squeak back against the polished floor.

This couldn't be happening. Zero's head snapped up to me but I wasn't paying attention to him. I put both hands to my forehead and focused on inhaling and exhaling breaths while my heart pumped out of control.

Zero, who noticed me panicking, rose from his seat too. He was going to come to my side when I stopped him with one my arms extended in the air.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. There was nothing else I could say or do.

"You didn't do anything," he replied.

He had a point. But I couldn't change the fact that I was my father's daughter. Rido's blood flowed through my veins. Therefore, if Zero hated him, he hated me as well.

And something I learned from reading some classical literature books was the children paid for the sins of their father. I might have to pay for the sins of my father.

Was that why Kaname was still keeping me alive?

I bowed before him. The masses of my messy hair had enough weight to send me careening to the floor. He was shocked at my behavior. When I righted myself, I felt the need to explain why I protected Kaname and to share with him something about my past. "When Yuki and I were five, we found ourselves wandering in the woods one late night. We didn't how we got there but there was a Level E vampire who sought us out. Then Kaname-sama saved us and we ended up here with Kaien-sama."

The shock had dispersed from Zero's face as he listened to my every word.

"A pureblood devastatingly hurt you and a pureblood saved me and my cousin. For this reason, we have different views on purebloods," I ended my explanation.

"Not completely." The silver-haired boy shook his head. He averted his attention to the full moon peering through the window. "Another pureblood saved my life and she desperately tried to save my family's lives. It's because of her I can't hate all vampires."

I smiled a little at the boy in front of me. He seemed to be wise beyond his age. He didn't let his blind hatred and a need to personally gain revenge for his family hold him back. Inwardly, I thanked Hio.

Perhaps, Zero and I were going to get along.

"Yep," I said while nodding. My smile turned into a big grin. "Not every vampire is bad like not every human is good."

He grinned right back at me.

OoO

A month later, Kaien had a strange request for Zero, Yuki and I. He didn't give much details. We were going to his work place for him to sign important documents. Finally, he was going to retire being a vampire hunter and was going to become a chairman at a prestigious high school called Cross Academy.

Things were going according to plan.

Yuki loved to wear dresses. She wore a dark pink dress, white stockings, black boots and a light gray coat. There was a pink headband with a flower on it on our dresser and I thought of Yuki as pureblood princess. "Wait," I called out to her.

She stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "How about this headband? It'll bring out your outfit."

Her chocolate eyes scanned my attire. Instantly, I saw disapproval shining in the dark depths. As usual, I wore faded blue jeans with a navy blue knitted sweater, a black coat and black and white sneakers that looked similar to Converse sneakers. I tried twisting my hair into a knot but the strands fell out a while back.

"How about you change your clothes?"

Automatically, I shook my head. "No can do."

She strained a smile at me. "Then no siree," she said, declining the offer to put on the headband.

"Oh," I said. My face deflated. "Kaname would love to see you in one of these."

She changed maneuvers as she headed my direction and snatched the headband from my hand. I beamed at her. Her feelings for Kaname hadn't changed, especially since the incident between Zero's and Kaname's first meeting.

She put on the headband on her head and I stepped back to admire the beautiful image she presented. She appeared angelic in her "girly clothes" I liked to call it. But within the fifteen seconds I viewed her, I saw her as a pureblood princess. She would have dressed in a similar way if she was staying with Kaname and their parents.

"You look fancy," another voice pitched in at Yuki. We turned toward Zero who leaned casually against the wall. He was dressed casual like me; with a black sweater, blue jeans, a long black coat and black sneakers. Unlike me, he wore a black and white scarf. I scrunched my face at it.

"And you look normal," he directed to me. "What's with the expression?"

"What's with the scarf?" I retorted. Then, I changed my mind. "Forget what I said."

"I can't do that," he said. A small smirk was displaying on his face.

"And why not?" I asked playfully. A hint of mischief flickered in my eyes. "You can simply forget."

"No, I can't because you said it. And what's wrong with my scarf?" he added. He looked down at his chest to examine the scarf.

"Oh nothing, it just tells me that it's cold outside."

He raised his head and frowned. "It's going to be a little nippy."

"Thanks for the warning." My lips turned upward.

Yuki exchanged looks between us. She still hadn't gotten use to us talking on a normal basis. Ever since that night Zero and I had a conversation, we got along to a point we could have a friendly chat. In a way, it was nice to be able to break the ice with another person. I realized that I still had some social skills.

"No problem," he said. His lips formed into a smirk.

As we walked outside the Cross home, a limousine stopped in front of us. A driver, dressed all in black, got out of the vehicle. He walked to the back of the car and opened the door for us. I had to wonder why did the Vampire Hunter Association send for us in a black fancy vehicle. Kaien gestured for everyone to get in. When we did, Yuki and I sat with our backs to the compartment that separated the passenger side from the driver seat. The vampire hunter and the silver haired boy sat in the backseat that was facing us.

The driver closed the door and made his way to the front of the car. I returned into my silent mode when the vehicle began to move. In fact, no one said a word. Yuki shifted closer to me and rested her head on my shoulder. I opted to stare out the window. Kaien was reading a book while Zero shut his eyes.

The scenery through the window changed from buildings to greenery hillsides. After a while my eyes began to hurt from the constant moving and I leaned my head back against the black leather seat. I inhaled as I felt the boy's stare on me. Pretending not to notice him, I closed my eyes. By then, Yuki had fallen asleep right next to me. Her head lolled on my shoulder. With the ride becoming bumpier, the brunette's head was threatening to fall from it that I lifted my hand to keep her in place.

Zero must have been quietly observing us. He had taken the role to watch over us from a distance, not that I minded. I didn't know if it was Kaien's doing or the fact that we entered a comradery.

"When we get to the house, I'll be leaving you in the hands of some trusted vampire hunters until everything is sorted," Kaien broke the quietness.

I didn't have to say a word. Zero did the talking. "Why did we have to come?"

The vampire hunter cleared his throat before answering. "The President insisted to meet you all since I will be retiring to become the Chairman of Cross Academy."

"That's strange that he would want to meet us," the silver-haired boy pointed out.

I found meeting with the President of the Vampire Hunter Association disconcerting as well.

"Well, umm…" the ash blond man fumbled for the right words. "I kind of let him know last minute that I'll be retiring."

"And they're looking for someone to take your place?"

"Uh… I don't know."

"The Vampire Hunter Association already found your replacement. That's me."

I wasn't astonished that Zero would become the next vampire hunter, given that he'd come from a family line of vampire hunters.

"I comprehend that," the male sighed. "But there are some precautionary steps that still must be abided by."

"Ah, I see," the boy responded. My eyes opened to see him lost in deep thought. It seemed like both males have forgotten that Yuki and I were in the car or they must have believed we were napping.

Kaien assessed the boy with serious eyes. He lifted a finger to fix his spectacles on the bridge of his nose. "Do you?" I heard the sudden change in his tone. I frowned not liking it one bit.

"You can't expect me to believe that the Vampire Hunter Association will simply let you go like that? They have to have some insurance policy." Immediately, Zero swung his head toward me and Yuki. When our eyes met, I realized the purpose for our visit. To make sure Kaien cooperate with the Vampire Hunter Association, we were the insurance card.

As if the silver-haired boy read my mind, he voiced it aloud. "So you can't just simply walk away from the Vampire Hunter Association?"

Kaien looked to me too. From the calmness in his hazel eyes behind his shiny glasses, he seemed to have acquiesce me knowing the gravity of our situation. "Yes." He moved his gaze to Zero who shifted his attention from me. "Which is why I am imploring you to watch the girls. One can't be too cautious when faced with new situations."

Zero nodded and the ash blond man wiped his forehead with relief. "Besides, if anything happens to my daughters, I will cry and feel like I died."

Zero let out a breath while he shook his head. Just like that, their serious chat was diffused.

But not by me. I learned a significant fact. The Vampire Hunter Association was a duplicitous group.

OoO

"Yuki," someone was calling her name.

She stirred, groaning softly as she moved her head from a hard and bumpy surface to a firm and smoother one.

"Come on, Yuki, it's time to get up," the soft voice continued.

She groaned again as other sensations began to creep through the fog encasing her mind. The chill in the air, the slight discomfort in her spine from the awkward way she lay before moving into a comfortable position. The gentle warmth of a hand sliding across her cheek made her want to continue sleeping.

"Nia, just wake her up," another voice grumbled in the background.

"No, I can't just force her to wake up like that," the first voice answered back.

"Do you want me to wake her up. It's better than waiting here all day."

"No, I'll do fine by myself,"

A cold breeze hit her face.

"Yuki, sweety, you need to wake up."

The girl shifted her body, away from the hand that was pressed soothingly on her face.

"Please, if you don't wake up, who knows what Zero might do."

Zero was the rude boy who liked to call her "idiot" whereas Nia was always kind, gentle and caring towards her. In a way, Nia reminded her of how Kaname treated her.

"Please, Yuki sweety," her cousin begged her.

Nia only called her sweety when she was silently asking her for her assistance or was trying to placate her. Instantly, Yuki responded by forcing her eyes to open. The car light from the ceiling loomed over her. Foliage surrounded the darkly tinted windows. One of the passenger doors of the vehicle was open and it was sporting off a disgruntled Zero.

"Why do you keep spoiling her?" he roughly questioned her cousin.

He looked at Yuki with clear dislike evident in his eyes. Even though Nia and Zero were getting along, Yuki and him never moved on with tolerating each other. He only acknowledged her because of her cousin.

"Why do you have to be a jerk?" her cousin retorted.

Yuki raised her hand and clutched onto Nia's forearm. The white-haired girl turned from the boy to her. A small smile graced her lips. "Don't listen to Zero. He's being his usual broody self."

"I can hear you."

"That's what I intended," she huffed.

The brunette couldn't help but smile at her cousin. Who cared if Zero didn't like her? The fact was the silver-haired boy accomplished a feat she thought was impossible. Nia finally opened up to another person. She was seeing some sides of her cousin that she wasn't straightforwardly about like how firm she could be.

"Just wait outside the car until we come out," she told an exasperated Zero.

"If you don't see me or the old man, then you know why."

Her cousin only shook her head at him. Finally, disappearing, he left the two girls alone in the vehicle. Yuki frowned as she realized they reached their destination. "Where are we and where's dad?"

"We're at his workplace and he's waiting outside. Apparently, he met up with some people he knows," Nia answered her.

The brunette sat up and instantly regretted it. Her head hurt causing her to wince.

Automatically, Nia shifted to her side. "Take it easy. Remember, you don't do well with car rides?"

It was true. Yuki had forgotten that she got motion sickness, mostly from car rides. The last time she was in a moving car was when Kaien tried to enroll them into a private elementary school. The ride back home had her feeling nauseous the rest of the night.

"Maybe we should see if they have some ginger ale. The ginger can help you feel a little better."

"Yeah," she answered.

Slowly, the both of them made their way out of the limousine. They were greeted by tall, black steel gates. Further in the distance was a large white manor modeled after Roman Architecture with elegant pillars adjoined to a triangular rooftop. All around the manor was more foliage but the trees gave an odd and darkly aura that caused Yuki to shiver. She looped her arm with her cousin's and shifted closer to her. Nia, as if sensing her discomfort squeezed her arm lightly.

Before the girls, Zero and Kaien were welcomed by some strangers. Yuki's gaze followed Zero whose facial expression looked completely different. There was a warmth in his eyes and a soft smile on his face as one of the guys with black uneven hair stepped forward to exchange a few words with him.

He looked confident and ease with the other people; it was almost like he felt he was home.

Both males turned toward them and Yuki felt Nia go rigid. They were making their way to them when Kaien's voice rang in the air.

"And as you can see, these are my two lovely daughters," the ash blond man gestured at them. The other males he was talking too cast their attention on them. "Yuki and Nia."

Nia stiffly bowed to them out of respect. Yuki simply followed her action.

"I see you finally got your wish of having a family," the tall dark haired man standing beside Zero commented. "How does it feel to be a father?"

The other men laughed at Kaien. Yuki didn't know how to react when she straightened up. From her peripheral vision, she saw how Nia's face became devoid of emotions as her frame remained stiff as a board. Her earlier playful attitude and kindness was gone. This was the quiet, guarded and observant Nia. She became like a shadow. At times, people could forget that she was around.

Yuki returned her gaze on the laughing males. Kaien awkwardly scratched the back of his head with his hand while chuckling with the other guys. "It feels good to have finally settled down." His chuckles stopped but still he kept a hand behind his head. "Which is why you can see I have to retire. I have a family to look after."

The other guys' mirth diminished. All of a sudden, the atmosphere felt heavier. Yuki casted her attention to the ground. Her black boots and Nia's well-worn sneakers became fascinating objects of interest.

"That will be up to the President to decide," one of the males said. If Yuki had to guess who said it, she would say it was the intimidating male who Zero stood effortlessly next to.

They all pivoted on their feet and iron gates eerily creaked open. The brunette tightened her hold on the white-haired girl's arm. As the guys began taking their first step to the manor, Yuki felt chills go up and down her spine. The manor appeared luminous as the sun was beginning to set in the strangely orange and yellowish looking sky.

"Nia, it's creepy," the brunette whispered. "I'm scared."

"No matter what you do, stay by me," the girl furiously whispered in return. Although, Nia's face remained emotionlessness, there was a hint of warning in her voice. Apparently, Nia was also getting some disturbing vibes from the house.

When Nia began moving, so did Yuki. Both girls followed all the guys up to a grand staircase, doing their best to stay last.

Luxurious doors opened to a huge room with another grand staircase leading to a second floor. A glittering chandelier hovered over all the occupants in the room. The richly wooden panels of the walls were decorated by expensive paintings. Tall, vermillion drapes with gold trimmings hung besides the windows. Exquisite furniture was spread throughout the room. Yuki would have continued to stare in awe if it weren't for the people coming toward them.

If she thought that Nia was stiff before, she was wrong. Nia's posture reminded of her of a hissing cat. Immediately, Nia's voice took on a commanding tone that she never heard before. "Yuki, let me go."

The brunette did as she was ordered. Nia accosted Zero with cool and calculating steps. Kaien, Zero and the raven-haired man watched unquestionably as Nia undid Zero's scarf, like it was a motion she did to him every day, and moved back to her.

Before Yuki could ask what Nia was doing, her cousin quickly and deftly wrapped the checkered scarf around her neck and shoulders and fixed her hair until the dark strands brushed against her cheeks. Then, they stared at each other as Nia lifted her coat collars around her neck. Her cousin's stare might have appeared as hard as steel, but she was silently communicating with her that they were in a crucial situation.

Instantly, the brunette knew what to do when her cousin swiveled to face the newly well-dressed accosting visitors.

"Well if it isn't my favorite vampire hunter," a man with purple hair tied up and a ladylike appearance greeted Kaien. "And this must be your cute daughters you were telling me about." Olive green eyes shifted towards the girls as a fan appeared before his mouth. There were two blond males standing behind him attired in costly black clothes. One of them had a blond beard and icy blue eyes. It was better to avoid looking at him. The other one was young boy, a little older and taller than Zero. Unlike the older blond man, his eyes were a friendly forest green. That same boy peeked at her from the president's side and Yuki's cheeks reddened. Her lashes lowered

"Yes, I brought them so you can meet finally meet them, President," Kaien replied as he made his way to their side.

Nia lowered her form in a respectful bow. Yuki did the same but instead of rising, they stayed with half bent postures.

"Well, they are delightfully exquisite and well mannerly girls. You should be proud of them," the ladylike man who was the president said. He removed the fan from his face.

"I am." Kaien's tone sounded like he was pleased with them.

"As you can see, I was having some peaceful discussions about the future of Cross Academy with Ichijo Asato-sama. He has taken a personal interest in the welfare of Cross Academy."

"Oh really? How so?"

"That should be saved for another matter and should be discussed in private."

"I understand."

"And accompanying him is his grandson Ichijo Takuma-san. Will you be so kind to introduce your daughters to these noble vampires?"

"Certainly -." But Kaien was interrupted by Nia who rose fluidly and stepped in front of Yuki.

"Cross Nia and Cross Yuki," she said softly.

The other girl stayed in her place as it dawned on her why Nia got apprehensive. They were introduced to real vampires. Besides coming across a Level E vampire and the other vampire in town, regular humans and lower level vampires had to show proper respect to aristocrat and pureblood vampires if presented to them.

It was amazing how Nia reacted on short notice to the vampires in their midst.

"Once again, delightful. Why don't you leave this white hair girl with us?" The question was probably meant to be a joke.

"No." The word was tense enough to make Yuki's eyes widened and a quiver of fear to go throughout her body. She had never heard her father talk with a dark tone.

"My apologies."

"It's too bad that your daughter is a regular human. She would make a fine addition to the Vampire Society, don't you think grandson?" The other richly, masculine aristocratic voice pitched in.

Yuki couldn't help but incline her head so she could peer through the mocha strands of hair. Nia, still had her head lowered and her eyelids were down so that her lashes fanned against her pale skin. She appeared unfazed by the president or noble vampire's remarks.

"Y-yes," another what would have been a polished voice if it weren't for his stumble for saying one word. The younger blond vampire slightly hunched over as if uncomfortable with the situation.

"Enough." Her father sounded displeased.

"Excuse my manners. I'm used to talking freely." The aristocrat stepped forward.

"Well, you're not in your society. You're among vampire hunters." Kaien moved in front of Nia, silently challenging a noble vampire. Her eyes widened as the president seemed to be taking pleasure with two tall males facing off.

It was the raven-haired man who broke their attention. "How about we get back to important matters?"

"Right?" The president didn't sound so sure and Yuki had to wonder how did the feminine looking man hold such a high position.

Kaien was forced to step down while he slid his arms across Nia's slim shoulders. He was leading her away from the two vampires. Satisfaction and triumph flashed across the blond noble vampire's face. His icy blue eyes shifted to her and she quickly glanced down to the polished black floor to only see Zero's reflection staring back at her.

"Are you going to stand there all day, Idiot?"

Although, he kept his tone low, the other two vampires must have heard him. Cheeks flushed with mortification, she hoped Zero's observation wouldn't leave a lasting first impression on the young blond vampire. Yuki turned around and followed her father until they walked up the stairs that led to the rich looking sofas. He gently guided Nia to sit on the couch and said a few soothing words to her. Yuki was stunned once again as Nia let him touch her. Usually, she was picky about who was near her. Yuki just shook her head.

"Seriously, you can't have a stupid look on your face."

"What's your problem?" Yuki hissed as she whipped her head to silver-haired boy. "I never did anything to you."

He put up his hands in the air while he retreated from her. "Hold on, right now is not the time to have a fit."

"You tell this to me when you're always mean to me."

"How about you be a good cousin and go and comfort Nia."

"Excuse me!" She put her hands on her hips.

He sighed while he passed a hand through his silver locks. "I always tell her not to spoil you. Now you don't even know when your cousin needs you to be there for her."

Yuki blinked at him before turning her attention to the other girl. Nia sat quietly while the other strangers whom Yuki learned were vampire hunters stood not too far from her.

Dispute forgotten with the boy, Yuki rushed over to her cousin's side, ready to give her all the support she needed.

OoO

The men departed, going their separate ways to do different duties. Zero was astonished when they first came to meet them. Apparently, they held some respect for the eccentric man that was going to retire. He had a reputation for being one of the best and if he stayed longer in the Vampire Hunter Association, he would eventually become the President.

However, rumors of his good heart and weak idealism prevented him from making it to the top easily. What vampire hunter would think that humans and vampires could coexist? Although his family were friends with some vampires, Zero always knew better. Vampires were predators by nature and humans were destructive in their own sense. Being a vampire hunter at least gave him a balance of both worlds. He could trust others if it was earned.

Which was why he couldn't help but look at the white-haired girl with a new sense of understanding. As she sat on the couch crowded by her dark-haired cousin, he wondered how she possessed the knowledge to react hastily the way she did the moment she and the others were greeted by the aristocrat vampires. She held herself like she knew their traditions. He didn't miss the way she calmly and deftly covered the most vulnerable part of their bodies, their necks, all while remaining respectful of those who could kill her in mere seconds. She didn't react when they deliberately hinted at them of wanting to get a piece of her.

And what irritated him the most was how Yuki was able to keep up with her. He was waiting for the mocha haired girl to slip up from her proper behavior of following Nia's lead. Obviously, Nia was trying to protect her, which was why she moved forward when she introduced herself and Yuki. Nia was putting all the attention on her. Nonetheless, he didn't miss the way her cousin's cheeks reddened at the sight of the blond boy.

Zero narrowed his eyes on the dark-haired girl who was whispering reassuring words to the girl next to her. Already, he could tell she was a vampire lover and if she had a chance to turn into one, she would greatly take the risk. He had seen the affection in her chocolate eyes for the pureblood who visited them and it irked him. The pureblood looked so much like the vampire who murdered his family. Furthermore, she carried a resemblance to him with the dark hair and eyes. The only major difference was the tenderness that radiated from her doe like eyes. She had an innocent vibe, which was majorly due to the fact how Nia cared for her.

"So, Yuki's a princess," he mused to himself, taking what Nia said to him in heart. The girl acted like one from the way she dressed to how she talked. That was why he found himself insulting her at whatever chance he got. In a way, he wanted to ruin the pretty image she made for herself.

And perhaps, he wanted her to learn hardship since she was sheltered, unlike Nia who bared most of the responsibilities for the both of them. If the display she presented earlier didn't show how reckless Nia could be to protect her cousin, he didn't know another situation that could.

"Watch them," Kaien reminded him. "I have a bad feeling." Zero had the same one but he didn't think that he had to be their babysitter. Couldn't they take care of themselves? Besides, they were in a place where there were other vampire hunters. Both girls were humans, or at least that was what his vampiric senses conveyed. The only abnormal feature was their blood and as long as they didn't bleed, everything was going to be fine.

Or at least that was what he told himself.

So he didn't need to think twice when he left the girls alone to visit his former master and teacher Toga Yogari.

After all, Nia was precarious. She would keep silent vigil over her cousin.

Quietly, he turned around and left the girls to their own senseless chattering.

OoO

I didn't believe what I did. I never thought of Asato Ichijo as intimidating until I met him in person. Just the feel of his ice blue eyes on me left chills that could compare to Aido's power. If I didn't have Yuki's well-being to ponder on or worry about Kaname's wrath, my knees would have buckled.

Vampires were fiercely overwhelming with their dominating presence. It was strong enough to stifle a being. I was fortunate that Kaname never unleashed his full powers or else… well, there were other facts to mull over, like Zero disappearance.

I lifted my head, not minding Yuki's apologies when I now noticed he wasn't the only one who was gone.

"Shit!" the word came out by force, startling the other girl.

"What?" she asked while blinking her eyes.

I rose from my seat with her following my movement. "Where the heck did he go?"

"Where did who go?" she questioned me as she examined her surroundings. As it dawned on her we were alone, she glanced at me. "Where's Zero?"

"I don't know." I shrugged my shoulders. It seemed my action exhibited a lack of care but in reality, I was cursing the boy for leaving us in a place we held limited knowledge about. Anything could happen. Already, the Vampire Hunter Association gave us cause not to trust them and yet he foolishly left us alone, not unless he was in on the situation with them.

"This is not good," I muttered under my breath.

The mansion gave me the creeps. The moment I stepped foot in the place, I felt something was off. Like right now I felt the hair on the nape of my neck stand on edge. My body bristled as the feeling we were being watched filled the room. Instantly, I grabbed for Yuki's hand when my hand captured thin air.

"Yuki?" I called her name. Quickly, I averted my eyes to next to me but she wasn't there. Where did she go?

"Yuki?" My voice echoed back at me.

There was not a speck of sound beside my voice. It was so silent, I could hear a pin drop from a mile away.

A chill ran across my skin. A need to get out of this mansion hit like a punch in the stomach, leaving me winded and trembling. But I couldn't run, not yet. Not until I found Yuki. I refused to leave her alone.

I took a deep breath as I took in my environment. Downstairs, I recalled the President emerging with Asato and Takuma. I believed that was where Kaien accompanied the feminine looking man. Perhaps, if I could locate them, I would have a better chance of discovering Yuki's whereabouts.

But if I could find Zero, I could use his superior vampire senses to lead me to Yuki too.

Something scraped the shiny floor behind me. I froze, listening, somehow knowing that it wasn't friendly. Sweat began to form on my skin as my heart raced in my chest. It seemed to echo in the stillness. After a few minutes, it came again – a soft click I'd never have noticed if I didn't decide to run.

In front of me was the main stairwell that led to the first floor and the outside door. Outside was the gates and beyond them was the limousine. The limousine was my final destination.

Again, there was another screeching sound that had sweat skittering along my skin. I craned my neck over my shoulder, careful to keep my breath in check. The entire lane leapt into focus -tall walls, expensive paintings, and potted plants. Right down the far end, a hunched shape that wasn't quite human moved.

My mouth went dry.

Oh shit!

The feeling of something wasn't right hit me tenth fold. I slowly backed away.

The creature raised its nose, sniffing the air. Scarlet eyes peered at me from the shadows of its face. Then, it howled -a high, almost keening sound that was as grating as nails down a blackboard.

The thing down the far end was joined by another, and together they began to walk toward me.

I risked a quick glance over my shoulder. The stairs weren't far away from me.

The click of their nails against the polished floor was sharper. The sound spoke of patience and controlled violence. They were taking one step for every three of mine, and yet they seemed to be going faster.

The moment my feet hit the stairs, I grabbed for the railing. The forms stopped, giving me a better view of them. Their shaggy, powerful forms looked more like misshapen humans and they were tall, at least by six feet. Their eyes were red- a luminous, scary red like that of Level E vampires.

They snarled softly, revealing long, yellow teeth. The urge to run was so strong that every muscle trembled. I bit my lip, fighting the instinct, trying to remember their every detail so I could explain it later to Kaien and possibly Kaname. But I also knew that if I ran, I had to be prepared for them to catch up to me.

However, I didn't count for their snarls to become a rumble of fury as they launched into the air.

I didn't waste time. I turned tail and sprinted off like my life depended on it.

I raced down the stairs, two steps at a time and dashed through the doors. I kept on going until I found myself in a forest. The air behind me stirred. I swore softly and dropped to the ground. A dark shape leapt over me. The figure and I rolled around in the dirt, each of trying to fight for dominance until I felt knees digging into my thighs and a rough grip holding both my wrists over my head.

"Nia," a familiar voice said my name and I was looking into lavender eyes of the boy who abandoned Yuki and me.

"Zero," I hissed his name. "Get off me!"

I struggled underneath him. The adrenaline from my flight still coursed through my body.

"No," he bit out. "You need to calm down."

"How the hell am I suppose to calm down when I have Level E vampires chasing me?"

"They're not after you now," he revealed.

I blinked at him, stilling at his words. So he was aware of Level E vampires roaming around the mansion. Then, other questions began to pop in my mind, but first I needed to find Yuki.

"Yuki?" was all I could muster.

He shook his head while his silver hair was plastered to his sweaty face. It looked as if he was either fighting or fleeing from the Level E vampires.

"Damn!" I grounded out through my teeth. "I need to find her."

"There's no way you're going back to that mansion," he admonished me. The grip on my wrists tightened when I slightly tried to move from under him.

"She was last in there with me."

He wasn't listening to me. "No."

"No! You don't get it!" I yelled at him. With renewed strength, I began to shift under him, not caring at the excruciating pain biting deeply into my thighs from his bony knees. "I have to save her!"

He clamped his other hand over my mouth. "Damn it, Nia," he growled at me. "If you shout, they're going to ambush us and then how are we going to get to Yuki."

I halted my movement.

"I'll let you go if you promise not to do anything rash."

I nodded my head.

He studied me for a moment, looking for any hints if I would change my mind. When I gave him none, he moved the hand away from my mouth. Not hearing a scream, he slowly lifted his body weight off me. I laid on the dirty ground, catching my breath before staggering to my feet.

"What the heck is going on?" I asked him as I dusted the dirt off my clothes.

"I don't know. I was going to visit my former master when I became suspicious at how silent the place became. The next thing I knew I was being chased into the forest by Level E vampires."

"How did they get into the mansion? Where are the others?" I bombarded him with questions.

"I don't know," he answered again.

Realizing, I wasn't accomplishing anything, I decided to go with the original plan; locate and protect Yuki.

"I've had enough."

I was about to leave Zero when his hand fastened around my wrist.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I gave him, "you should know," type of facial expression. "It obvious."

"Seriously, Nia, you should think about getting to safety."

"Then, who'll look out for Yuki?" I hissed over my shoulder. "She's somewhere out there and she can't fend for herself."

"Neither can you," Zero replied honestly.

"I have to at least try," I insisted as I tugged on my arm in his grasp. He only tightened his hold.

"Why do you want to save her so badly?" He was finally asking the question that plagued him for a long time.

"Why else?" I returned a question with a question. We didn't have time for light chatter so I got to the point. "She's all that I have left. She's family and I don't want to lose someone important to me." I already lost my parents and my sister in previous life. And as much I hated to admit it, I grew attached those around me in Vampire Knight.

And Yuki reminded me too much of Amy. I regretted leaving my baby sister behind. I wasn't going to make the same mistake with Yuki. This time I had the chance to save her.

"You can't save her alone," Zero admitted.

He was right. I couldn't save her by myself. But with both of us together, we stood a greater chance.

Before he could add anything else, I spun around and I lowered myself to my knees. White locks of hairs fell in front of my face as I awkwardly bowed to him. "Please help me save her."

OoO

Astonishment was an understatement to what he witnessed before him. The white-haired girl tried her best to bow to him with her arm being restrained by him. He could see from the twist in her arm yet she pushed aside her discomfort for someone else.

"Please help me save her."

His eyes widened at her omission. Nia was stubborn to a point that she liked to do things for Yuki without help but she was pushing aside her pride to ask for his assistance.

And he couldn't say no. As much as he disliked Yuki, he didn't want anything bad to happen to her.

Plus, Yuki was human. Didn't he take an oath to protect humans from vampires?

"Yes," he said. "I'll help you."

She righted herself and dragging air deeply into her system, she gave him a tremulous smile. He couldn't help but think how strong she could be to smile in such a dire event. He let go her arm, realizing that he still held it. She fixed her dishevel locks that came loose from their tumble on the ground.

"So, how do we find her?" Nia questioned him.

There was one way. His eyes drifted shut as he focused his five senses for one person. Being a vampire, heightened his senses, giving him an advantage to locate moving targets.

His target had blood that was thick and ripe. The aroma was so sweet that it caused his mouth to water.

Automatically, his eyes shot open. He only said two words to the female next to him. "Follow me."

Now, it would be up to luck if they could save the girl on time. He had failed to inform Nia that Level E vampires were pursuing her as well.

OoO

Yuki was running as fast as her feet could take her. Honestly, she didn't know how she got separated from Nia. She remembered standing next to her cousin and then everything went blank. When reality settled in, she was outside the mansion with jagged looking creatures chasing her. Fear pumped into her limbs, making her move faster. Her training with Kaien and Zero was beginning to pay off. If she survived, she was going to extend her training hours. She could only hope that Nia and the others were okay.

A creature crashed to the left of her, causing her to trip. Shaking its head, a low rumble came from deep within its chest. Sharp nails scraped her skin, blood instantly began to spill from her torn flesh. A whimper escaped her.

The creature hissed at her. Pointy teeth hovered over her face, shifting toward her neck. The creature was going to sink its fangs into her. Finding balance on her back, she kicked at the creature. The blow wasn't enough to damage the creature but it provided enough distraction for her to scramble on her feet and dash away.

But she didn't cover enough ground to make a large distance. The creature hurled after her. Sharpened nails slashed at her, making her yelp in pain and then it roared -a harsh, strangled sound- as it began to buck and twist violently. Yuki noticed it stopped its pursuit of her and she stopped to catch her breath. Panting, she saw small arms and legs wrapped around the creature's body, hanging on as the figure tried to strangle it. Snowy hair flashed in the distance and she recognized Nia.

"Nia!" she called out.

"What the heck are you doing, Idiot?" Another voice rang out to her. "Run!"

"No! Not without Nia!" She refused to leave behind her cousin.

"What is it with both of you?" Zero asked exasperated. "We don't have time to be picky!" He grabbed her hand and was trying to lead her away from the struggling pair.

"No!" Yuki dug her feet into the soiled ground.

Another creature came out of nowhere and hit Zero on the side, knocking him to the ground. Fortunately, he let her go. Nia, by then, was tossed off the other creature. She hurt it enough to make it pause to lick its wounds. Nia got up and gripped Yuki's already torn coat and began to pull her in the opposite direction of the fight.

"Zero," Yuki said, as she hesitated.

"We can't stay here. We'll only distract him," Nia answered the unsure girl.

"But -."

"He's a vampire hunter. He can handle the Level E vampires."

"Those are Level E's?"

Before Nia could respond, claws raked her side, drawing blood. Yuki, watched astounded as the creature jumped on her cousin, crashing them both to the ground.

"Run Yuki!" the white-haired girl screamed at her. The misshapen vampire pulled at Nia's legs all while she kicked futilely at it. She wasn't doing much damage since she was on her stomach, her eyes were trained on Yuki, a hand reaching for her.

Another creature launched at the fallen girl, helping to drag her along the forest floor. Breaking out of her stupor, the brunette reached for her cousin when a strong arm curved around her waist. A hot, stinky breath puffed against her cheek as she was shoved brutally against an uneven hard chest.

"Yuki!" Nia shouted. She fought harder against the creatures, making the injury on her side bleed more as she tried to get to the brunette.

"Nia!"

Both girls were being pulled farther from each other by the Level E vampires, however, more of them were being drawn to Nia for some odd reason. It was an agonizing scream that made Yuki go limp in the creature's arms. A lump formed in her throat. She was yanked further back so the tree trunks obscured her vision of Nia's form. But from the little vantage point she could make out of Nia and the creatures tore a sob from her. Her cousin's hand, the same one that tried to extend to her, wasn't moving anymore.

OoO

Zero scrambled to his feet and spun around, sweeping with his foot, battering the Level E vampire of its feet. Sharp claws caught at his thigh, tearing flesh even as the blow sent him staggering. The creature was almost up instantly, nasty sharp teeth gleaming yellow in the cold late evening.

He faked a blow to its head, then spun and kicked at its chest, embedding a sharp branch further into it. The creature grunted. It dropped to the ground, and didn't move.

A piercing scream rang throughout the forest, making his body go rigid. He scanned his surroundings when his eyes landed on a dreadful sight. There were six thirsting, ravenous vampires and they were all huddled around a still form. He could only make out a pale limp hand.

"Nia!" a sobbing voice shook him out of his trance. Before he knew what he was doing, he dived into the crowd of creatures, throwing them out of the way with inhuman strength. The fresh, intoxicating scent of blood hit the air and the deprived vampires they were, they lashed out at him to devour the limp figure.

As he swung at another creature, he was close enough to the ragged, bloodied limp form to pick up more than just her scent and realization struck him like a dagger. Nia's heart wasn't beating.

* * *

 **A/N:** Please don't hate me! *Hides from tomatoes, popcorn and other items being thrown.* All of this is happening for a reason, to keep the plot moving forward.

A big thanks for those of you for leaving reviews! I love you all! Please vote for you favorite pairing so far, I will be closing the poll on my profile after the next chapter update. Thanks again!


	7. Chapter 7

Zero Kiryu was stunned.

Was his hearing accurate?

As he watched the vicious Level E vampires drain what was left of Nia, he could hear no heartbeat.

Her clothes were in tatters, her skin was torn and her usually snow-white hair was dirtied. It was such a grisly sight that he moved into action. There was still time to save her if only he could get to her.

"Nia!" Yuki shouted from the distance. Quickly, he glanced at her to see only one creature detaining her. Oddly, the other beastly vampires ignored her as she futilely struggled to reach Nia. Not seeing any threat to the brunette, he shifted his attention to dodging and viciously pulling at the Level Es but even using his supernatural strength on them wasn't enough.

Soon, he found himself tiring out. He was being pushed back and forgotten by the Level Es. Yuki's voice dimmed to quiet sobs that he was left with no choice but to rid the beast that held her.

Dejection filling his gut, he turned away from the limp figure. His body felt like lead as he made his way to a weeping Yuki. The creature sensed his encroach and leveled an intense stare at him. Red glowing eyes with equally sharp teeth filled his vision. Yuki collapsed at the vampire's feet, completely overlooked. She didn't attempt to run to Nia and he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. At least she had some sense not to be reckless.

The vampire snarled at him again in warning. Zero was taken aback by the sharpness in the beast's eyes and he froze. Despite the lingering scent of blood in the atmosphere, the Level E didn't appear to be distracted. The creature moved toward him with an assuredness that briefly made him step backward.

Instantly, the world tilted around him. A sharp pain incurred in his mouth and he tasted a sweet metallic liquid on his lips. His incisors had pierced the tender skin on his lips and his tongue darted to the side of his mouth where the blood leaked down. The rich liquid was swirled by up his tongue and into his mouth. He closed his eyes, reveling in pleasure.

His throat began to itch. The little taste of blood did nothing to satisfy his hunger.

His eyelids drifted upward and he heard a soft gasp in the distance. A strong heartbeat, a human one filled his ears. His eyes zoomed on the hunching figure of a dark-haired female. His vampiric senses went into overdrive. Just by looking at the human girl he could tell her blood was going to be as sweet as honey.

Zero's muscles bunched up. The creature standing before him became a blur as he sprinted toward the girl. "No!" she screamed, her voice ringing in the night air. Her hands raised in front her face in defense but such a maneuver wouldn't stop him. Zero was finally giving into his bloodlust that he denied himself too long.

OoO

Kaien and the other vampire hunters sensed the moment Level E vampires attacked the mansion. His primary duty was to see to the President's safety. As he and the other vampire hunters moved the President into a safe room, his mind wandered to his daughters. Their blood, despite being human, was intoxicating. Kaien discovered that he had to lend more blood than usual to Zero to keep the kid from feeding on the girls. Nia's blood wasn't helpful either. She had bled many times in front of him that Kaien feared her blood opened his appetite. In hopes of protecting Nia, the vampire hunter had Zero train with Yuki. The little brunette was more careful in not getting injured.

Yet in such a circumstance, not all the vampire hunters were on the field. Some of them were called on missions to kill Level E vampires. Others had time off so they could spend time with their families.

Kaien clenched his hands into fists as the President was tucked securely in a back room of the mansion.

He didn't have time to stay with the other vampire hunters as they guarded the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Toga, his long-time friend asked him.

"I have to see if my family is fine," although he was panicking on inside, outwardly he appeared calm.

"Then I'll go with you."

Kaien paused and assessed his old friend. "Are you sure? If anything happens to the President..." He didn't continue. The message was clear. By choosing to go with him, Toga was putting friendship before The Hunter Association. But then again, Toga wasn't one to blindly follow instructions from the group.

The man's answer was to pull the gun that he kept strapped to his back. "Let's quickly stop off at the supply room so you can borrow an anti-vampire weapon. You don't have your sword with you."

Kaien's lips raised into a small smile as gratitude.

"Besides, you finally have the family you dreamed about. We don't want anything to happen to them."

Both men raced out of the room to the supply room. A couple of beasts lashed out at them from the darkness of the mansion and Toga efficiently took care of them with his anti-vampire gun.

"What the heck happened to the lights?" Kaien questioned the dark-haired man. He tried to switch on the light switches but nothing was working. The sun had already disappeared behind the canopy of trees. "Did you see those creatures? They don't like the regular Level E vampires."

"Hmmm..." Toga murmured. He was lost in thought.

Kaien swiftly went through the weapons until he found one that looked promising. "They look more viciously insane."

"But they attacked as a group," Toga finally commented.

Kaien put the daggers in his coat pocket but stopped to glance at the raven head.

"Wait, are you saying that these vampires have thinking capabilities?" When the ash blond ex-vampire hunter asked the question out loud, it sounded prosperous to his ears. Once a vampire turned into a Level E vampire, the vampire lost all sense to think properly. Literally, the only thing on a Level E vampire's mind was to drink human blood.

"More like someone must have planned this attack." Kaien didn't have Toga explain his reasoning. Instead, he rushed out of the supply room to make his way outside. Toga kept in pursuit. The moment the main doors of the mansion opened, they heard the commotion from the distance. Several footsteps and growling were coming deeply into the forest.

Who would have planned such a vicious attack? And why now?

What was the motive behind such an attack?

The smack of flesh, crunching bones and rich blood from humans made his eyes widened behind his spectacles. The girls were hurt. He sprinted faster. Split blood meant disaster.

A couple of beastly forms appeared and expertly, Kaien withdrew the daggers from his pocket and began slashing through them. They dropped like hot potatoes on the ground. Blood rained down on him. His body moved like a blur as he continued to menacingly kill the Level Es. The quicker he was at eliminating his foes, the closer he got to his daughters.

At the thought of his daughters, he noticed the both of them. What he saw almost floored him. If it weren't for his long hours of training and discipline, he would have hesitated. On the ground surrounded by a few Level Es, there was a still figure of Nia. Not far away, Zero had finally given into his vampiric hunger and was about to attack Yuki.

"No!" she screamed.

Utilizing his vampire hunter skills, he blurred and moved the to intercept Zero and the brunette. Flipping both daggers so that the dull end struck the boy, he slashed at the boy's chest to push him back and then whirled around him to bring the dagger at his neck. Instantly, Zero crumbled at his feet.

Cleaning the daggers of the blood on his coat, he inserted the weapons into his pocket. He fully trusted Toga to take care of the other vampires.

On cue, shots rang through the air.

"Yuki, are you okay?"

The girl didn't hear him. Her eyes widened at the carnage before her. He couldn't blame her for being shocked. She was an innocent. Her first encounter with a Level E wasn't as devastating as what she endured just now.

Then, the girl blinked her eyes and stood up on wobbly legs. Kaien didn't know how she was able to move after everything. She made her way through the battlefield to the prone figure. Little hands reached out to her cousin.

"Nia?" The girl questioned. She slightly shook the frame.

Toga, finally, appeared beside Kaien, his weapon placed on his back. The bodies of dead vampires dispersed in the atmosphere. Toga didn't like to remain after a bloody battle due to impurities in the air. But he hesitated at the tragic sight before him.

"Go for Zero. I'll deal with Yuki," Kaien ordered. He tried his best to keep a level head despite the grief he felt in his heart. He lost one of his daughters.

"Hold up," the raven head put a heavy hand on his friend's shoulder. "She might not be gone for good."

"Then do what you must." Besides, Zero was going to be out like a light for awhile.

Toga made his way to the limp body on the ground and couldn't help but flinched inwardly at how badly battered she looked. Kaien carefully went to Yuki. In order for his friend to perform CPR on Nia, he needed to move the brunette out of the way.

"Yuki?" he gently called to her.

She didn't respond.

The vampire hunter knelt down to her. "Yuki?" he tried again.

Again, she was so listless.

He recalled Zero telling him about a pet name Nia called her when she needed the girl's attention. "Yuki, sweety." The moment he said "sweety" she blinked her eyes, the haziness clearing in brown pools.

"She's not waking up." How was he suppose to answer her? He glanced at Toga who was performing CPR on Nia. The other vampire hunter worked steadily as he breathed air into her mouth.

"We'll try all we can to save her," Kaien responded, eventually. When he turned his attention to Yuki, he began to splutter at her teary eyes. Then, he hugged her, glad that the distraught girl didn't fight him. Nia would have shoved his hands away. A shaky smile displayed on his dismayed face. Water prickled from his eyes and he raised a finger to wipe it away.

"Damn it! She's not responding," he could hear his friend growled. No matter how much pressure Toga put on the white-haired girl's chest, she wasn't moving. After a while, he stopped. "I think we're too late."

"No," Kaien said. He shifted Yuki toward's Nia's body. "Take her," he instructed, "and I'll try CPR on Nia."

The man nodded his head, and Kaien was grateful for the support. He stooped down and placed his head against her chest. There was a stillness in her body that disturbed him. A child shouldn't be the one to die before the parent, it was suppose to be the other way around.

"Kaien!" he heard the other vampire hunter snapped him back to reality. "We don't have much time left!"

"I know!" Instantly, the ash blond man began administering CPR on the girl. Blowing air into the girl's mouth and then pushing against her chest in hopes that the white-haired girl would revive. There was no twitch in her finger, or flickering behind her eyelids, or a flutter in her heart.

Nothing.

Kaien didn't know how long he did CPR but he felt his cheeks were wet and his body went numb. His clothes, probably, were disheveled and his long hair was a mess. How he looked outside was how he felt on the inside, jumbled.

For the first time, he didn't know what to do. He buried his grief-stricken face in his hands.

From the distance, he heard Yuki sobs and he heard footsteps on twigs and dirt. Removing his hands from his face, he saw his friend snapping large branches from the tree. Toga put them together, pulled long strings from his pocket and a hunting knife.

"What are you doing?" Kaien, in his anguish, didn't know what his friend was up to.

"We can't leave her here. Besides, she still alive," Toga pointed out.

Baffled, shocked and still saddened, he snapped his head to the injured and girl. What he saw almost made him cry out in relief. Her chest was moving. She was wheezing. Her fingers dug into the dirt, indicating she was alive.

"Nia!" Yuki exclaimed. The brunette was about to dash to her cousin when Kaien interfered. His arms closed around her while he whispered to her, "Now, Yuki she must rest. If you try to hug her, she can be more hurt than she already is." He tried to use a firm tone with her, despite the fluctuation of his emotions.

She nodded her head in understanding and he sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry to break your moment, but we don't have much time. If she doesn't get medical attention soon..." the dark-haired man didn't complete his sentence while working to prepare a bedding to take the girl back to the mansion. As it was, they had a strained situation put on them and any wrong decision could negatively affect Nia.

Toga worked with deftness as he tied the last of the strings around the branches. He tried his best to smoothen the large sticks with a hunting knife he always carried on his person. Finished with his work, he dragged the mid-shape bed toward the barely breathing girl. "Gently, we lift her at the same time and put her on top it. I can't guarantee she would be comfortable though."

Kaien just moved his head to show his agreement. He didn't trust any words to come out of his mouth.

"And you Yuki will travel right next to Nia at all times. She will need you to be there for her." His face softened when he looked at her. "Do you think you can do that?"

She bobbed her head.

"Good."

He indicated with his hands to lift her body. Both of them, gently as they could, hefted her body and put her onto the make-shift bed. They heard her pained whimpers and Kaien was stricken.

"She will feel pain but that's in a way a blessing," Toga replied as he walked toward Zero and effortlessly picked up the boy to throw over his shoulder. "The noise she makes means she's alive."

Getting the hint, Kaien moved to the front and Toga shifted to the back. Both men raised the temporary bedding, but it was amazing how the raven head was able to balance Zero on his shoulder and still hold the other side of the bedding.

Kaien could only hope that they made it back in time to the mansion to give his daughter immediate medical attention. And then after, he would have to find some way to break the news to Kaname. This had to be the worse day of his life.

OoO

It really was the worst day of Kaien's life.

It hurt to see his daughter suffering while she laid in a queen size bed. Her skin was too pale compared to the cream bedsheets and her body too small and fragile. Nia was in critical condition. She was barely holding on for her life. Besides, being in a dire need of a blood transfusion, he learned that she might have internal bleeding as well.

"I'm sorry, Kaien," a vampire hunter and licensed doctor told the ash blond man. "I did all I can for her. The best thing we can do is make her as comfortable as possible."

He nodded his head at the doctor. His throat was too constricted for him to speak. Yuki whimpered from next to him. He felt her small hand clutched the fabric of his shirt. He patted her head while lifting his face to the ceiling. He sniffled.

Wasn't there any hope for Nia?

The doctor quietly left the room to attend to any other vampire hunters that got injured during the attack.

His friend, Toga, landed a heavy arm on his shoulder. After a moment of silence, he asked the other man, "Can you please take care of them for me?" He meant Zero too.

His friend didn't have to answer. The hand that rested on his shoulder was removed to be placed gently on the child's back. "Go with him," Kaien urged his other daughter.

"I don't want to leave Nia," the brunette said sadly.

He shut his eyes before re-opening them. Bending down so he was at eye level with his daughter, he inhaled air. "Yuki, sweety, I'm sure when Nia wakes up from her sleep she will like to see you well rested."

She opened her mouth to argue with him. "But if she sees how you look now, she'll feel guilty because she wants to know you're okay."

The child swallowed before hanging down her head. From her reaction, he was relieved. Now, he was able to give all his attention to his other daughter.

Toga ushered a quiet Yuki out of the bedroom. Zero, he noted, was in another bedroom still resting.

The ex-vampire hunter stood up and made his way toward the phone, which was located on a luxurious mahogany dresser across from the four-poster bed. His hand raised halfway in the air, his eyes narrowing on the item. There was still one option left. He didn't want it to happen to any one of his daughters any time soon.

But he rather Nia alive.

He squeezed his eyes shut as a few tears trickled down his cheeks and he let a shuddering amount of air into his lungs.

The white-haired girl quietly wormed her way into his heart.

He could visualize how she would react in the room with him. She was always there, silently watching and patiently waiting in most situations. And her scarlet eyes softly spoke of understanding.

She was calm, cool, and collected.

Life wouldn't be the same without her.

He, Yuki and most definitely Zero...

He didn't finish his thought. His eyes snapped open as his fingers curled around the phone's handle. The pointer finger from his other hand was frantically pushing buttons and before he knew it, he heard a ringing on the other end of it.

"Hello, Ichijo residence," a feminine voice of a maid answered the phone.

"This is Cross Kaien. Put me to talk to Kuran-sama. It's urgent."

The maid didn't need to be told twice. He heard footsteps dashed away from the phone and muffled voices.

Finally, a smooth and masculine voice answered. "Kaien-san, this better be important."

"It is. I need you here at The Hunter Association right now."

OoO

Zero opened his eyes, his body felt like dead weights and his mouth felt like a desert. A white ceiling filled his vision. He groaned.

"It's about time, idiot, for you to wake up," a masculine and familiar voice shot out at him.

He struggled to look at the raven-haired male who was once his teacher. "Yagari-sensei?"

"Here," the older man threw a packet of blood on the bed next to him. "Drink up."

With energy he didn't know he possessed and with the promise of his hunger being fulfilled, Zero lunged into a sitting position. He roughly grabbed the bag and bit into it. He didn't feel when the incisors lengthened in his mouth, piercing into the plastic. Cold, stale blood filled his mouth. He gulped it down greedily. Some trickles of red liquid leaked down the sides of his chin to his throat.

He could feel the eyes of his ex-master watching him and he acknowledged that he was a gruesome sight; a monster. But blood could make a vampire forget the ability to be civilized. In fact, civility was just an act and appearance for blood sucking creatures. In truth, they were beasts by instincts. Blood made them show their true colors.

As he downed the bag, his hunger faded. He put the empty plastic bag on the nightstand next to him while his sharp teeth receded in his gums. He grunted in pain. His cheeks flushed when he lifted his head. He used the back of his fist to wipe away the excess crimson liquid on his chin.

"You don't have to feel ashamed," Toga said, causing Zero eyes to widened. "A hungry human would devour his food in the same manner."

"But vampires are different. We devour humans," he said in shock.

"You don't kill humans and suck their blood like Level E vampires. You take what you need and then you move on while keeping your source alive."

"But I was about to attack... Yuki." His eyes widened even more before he covered his face with his hands. "I could've killed her."

"You didn't and that's all that matters," the older man replied to him. "You're not a monster."

Zero revealed his guilt-stricken face to his former teacher. "But-."

"Believe me, if you're a monster, you won't be here right now."

Those words put enough consolation in Zero. His worst fear was becoming a Level E vampire and hurting the people he grew to care about like Kaien, Yuki and...

He bolted out of the bed. Before he could make it to the door, Toga's large frame blocked the doorframe.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked as he crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"Nia," Zero pointed out. "I need..." He couldn't continue his sentence. Of course, Nia was gone. But the thought of her dead made his heart freeze.

"She can't be, right?" He needed someone to tell him otherwise.

"Get back in bed," the larger man demanded. "You're not going anywhere."

Zero was about to do what he was ordered when he heard a crashing sound beyond the door. A powerful aura filled the atmosphere causing tension between the occupants in the room. Toga reached for the doorknob, his hand turning the knob before the door swung open. A powerful breeze entered the room, causing the bedsheets and the occupants' hair and clothes to flutter. The wind vanished, taking with it the cool air. The room suddenly began to heat up like a metal pot to fire. Something hard pressed down against him and his ex-master.

The raven head had better grip to remain on his feet, but Zero knees crashed onto floor. His elbows hit the hard surface, bracing the rest of his bodily weight while on all fours.

He could barely lift his face when he saw a tall brunette figure pass the doorframe. An elegant and beautiful face briefly turned his direction and eyes the color of blood met his. A rush of fear enveloped him and his muscles strained. Zero recognized who was the person.

Kaname Kuran.

OoO

I was in a world of darkness.

It was the place I knew better than anything else. I had been here before.

It had happened when my previous life had been snuffed out like a flame between a person's fingers.

And now, I was here again, which meant...

"I died," I whispered out loud. Ironically, laughter started bubbling out me. "I died again."

Then I stopped.

My knees felt weak and my feet wouldn't move. I couldn't seem to drag air into my lungs.

Why did the air feel heavier of all a sudden?

The next event happened so fast, my mind couldn't digest it. A bright light flashed before my eyes and I saw long dark hair of a person's back to me. Some emotion flickered in me. The person turned halfway for me to view a profile of long black lashes, a pert but curvy nose, small pink lips and milk creamy skin. The person's face turned to meet me head on and my breathing halted.

"Amy," I whispered after some time. The background became clearer. She was at the house where we grew up. It was a brown bricked house with a black gate. The front red steps had two young children -a little boy and girl- seated on it while playing a board game.

"Clue," she whispered in return as she smiled fondly at the scene. She moved in between all of us, except the laughing children never raised their heads to look at us.

"What's going on?" I asked, feeling perplexed to be seeing my sister again. Only she looked different. I glanced at her and blinked my eyes when I realized what made her appear different.

Her face was fuller, she was taller than me and her belly -it protruded from her small frame.

I pointed to her. "You're pregnant?"

She giggled at my stupid question. "Of course, silly."

"But... you're fifteen!"

"I was fifteen," she corrected. "Now, I'm thirty-one."

I double blinked my eyes at her and then I shifted closer to her face. It was then I saw slight wrinkles around her eyes and lips. She had gotten older.

I switched my attention to my hands and I wondered how I looked.

"You're still the same," she answered me. I glanced at her again. "You voiced your thoughts."

"What am I doing here?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Seriously, what am I doing here?" I was about to have a panic attack. Did I finally return home? "And why aren't you surprised that I'm here?"

My sister shook her head while amusement flickered on her face. "You still haven't changed."

"And you surely did."

"It's called motherhood." I would have never imagined my little sister being an actual mother. For me, she was always my baby sister, someone who needed to be taken care of.

"I," I paused, not sure what to say next.

There was a slight twist to her lips. "I might have an idea why you're here."

I gave her a dumbfounded expression. "You do?" It felt so weird not having answers when I was so used to knowing or having an idea about the events to come.

"You probably need some closure."

"Closure?"

"Don't take any offense sis, but you're always one to hold onto things, especially grudges."

My face scrunched up at her words. She just laughed before becoming serious again. "You had a hard time adapting to changes."

It was true what she said. That was why I lived my life doing the same thing over and over again.

"And as such, you were always the glue that held our family together." There was a wistfulness to her tone. I wanted to query her sudden change in feelings.

"Amy?"

I couldn't react in time. One second she was standing next to me and then she was hugging me. I felt wetness against my left cheek.

"I was so worried about you," I confessed to her while hugging her back. It was kind of awkward embracing a pregnant woman, with her rounded belly almost knocking me over. "But seeing you all grown up with children, it makes me proud."

"I wouldn't be here if you didn't teach me to read, to write, to do math and those life lessons." I heard her laugh a bit in between her sobs.

"That's why I'm proud of you, Amy. You're doing fine without me." I brushed my hand through her silky hair.

"It was hard."

"I know and you made it."

She was crying again and I recalled hearing how it wasn't good for pregnant women to cry. Their emotions put a lot of strain on their babies. Immediately, the older sister role returned in me. I pulled away from her and I gently wiped the tears away from her face. "I'm going to say this once and one last time."

She looked at me with watery eyes while I smiled at her.

"You are my pride and seeing how you are now, I feel gratitude to get this chance to be with you."

Tears started streaming down my face as well before she pulled me in for another embrace. "Sis, I hope you find happiness wherever you are," she whispered to me. "You were always taking care others, now take care of yourself. Follow your heart."

She let me go but her hands were still linked to mine. "And thank you for everything."

Those were the last words I heard as my sister and the scene behind her vanished.

"Amy!" I screamed, my arms dangled around me, my hands trying desperately to grab at anything within reach. I grasped nothing as I let out a moan of despair. I collapsed in on myself, trying to keep the darkness at bay.

OoO

Doors slammed open at his accost to a particular bedroom. Blood, her blood, was heady in the atmosphere. Kaname could smell it as the driver approached the mansion.

How many times did she irresponsibly get hurt?

How many times must her precious blood be recklessly spilt?

Fury vibrated through every pore of his body. The windows shattered into tiny pieces, cutting anything in its path. His eyes were glowing crimson as his dark hair and his long black coat flapped around him.

His vampiric senses soared throughout the vast building. The vampire hunters that tried to deter him from getting to his goal were dealt with and tossed aside. He sensed Zero's location and was grimly satisfied when the little vampire was far away from the white-haired girl.

Yuki, on the other hand, was fast asleep in her room. Before she could disrupt him, he had sent his pureblood power to seep into her bedroom and cajoled her into a deep slumber. She and the other child's quarter would be the only two places that he didn't devastate with his powers.

There was a reason humans and vampires feared purebloods. Their power, unpredictable and unattainable, continued to be a mystery. The true extent of a pureblood would never be known by those of lesser blood.

Another blast of a wind burst yet another door and standing before that closed door was the figure he was going to intensely interrogate once he assessed the damage done to the white-haired child. The ash blond man had taken off his glasses. His long hair ruffled in the wind as did his clothes while he lifted deadly daggers gripped tightly in his hands.

"Will you refrain me from seeing Nia?" he questioned, however, his light tone betrayed the vehemence stirring in him.

"I will let you see her if you calm down," Kaien admonished. "Right now, she's in a fragile state."

"And whose the one at fault?" He tilted his head, while inquiring the ex-vampire hunter.

Kaien didn't respond.

"Move," he commanded, his voice velvety and deadly at the same time. The ex-vampire hunter struggled to remain standing.

Finally, not able to take anymore brunt, Kaien fell to his knees in front of the pureblood.

"Good, remain in your position." With each word, an invisible wall pressed down on the ash blond man. Then everything stilled around him.

Kaname passed a hand through his hair while his other hand deftly fixed his shirt and coat.

Nonchalantly, he past the fallen man. The door opened on his command and Kaname entered Nia's bedroom.

* * *

 **A/N:** I can't thank all of you enough for your encouragement in your reviews and for showing your support in choosing to follow and favorite this story. It means a lot to me!

What did you think about this chapter? Is it good, bad, frustrating, or perhaps hopeful?


	8. Author's Note

Hello readers,

I don't how to say this and I feel very awkward so I'll try my best. Since there are so many reviews, I can't get the time to respond back to each and every one of you. I want to thank you all for the support and the love you have shown this story. It means a lot to me because this story is my first one.

However, after posting chapter seven, I'm getting some strong emotional responses from some readers and I don't how to react to them. A lot of the responses you won't find in the review section but it seems I need to clear a few misunderstandings.

As a reader, I like to think of reading a story like a journey. Once you read the first line in a book, do you want to continue journeying or move on to a different one because there are a lot of other journeys to venture on?

My writing style is different. I write suspense, as it's my way of keeping readers interested. I don't get straight to the point, I take my time to get there. And as such, I'm using this approach with a theme that a lot of writers are doing and making it my own. In this case, it's a self-insert character in an anime world.

Now, I'm not taking a safe route with Vampire Knight. I'm venturing further into a plot that will eventually make it a cannon divergence. A lot of other stories are like this but the past couple of chapters, I dove in a different path that is noticeable. However, with Kaname's reaction at the end of chapter seven, it has aroused intense emotions from some readers.

I understand how many of you feel about Kaname's character. He comes off as a cruel, calculating and cold person. Perhaps, he shouldn't have reacted as strongly as he did in the seventh chapter, but there's a reason for his actions and you will see it in time. Kaname is not as cold or uncaring as he does care about the people around him. All I can say is -like Yuki, Zero and Nia- he's still growing and one of the conflicts he's working with is controlling his emotions. Also, being a pureblood with immense amount of power -since he's an ancient- he's also coping with how he should react to others. In the case of him dealing with Nia, we know why she quiet and wary around him, but for him, it's quite frustrating to deal with someone who doesn't talk you. He doesn't know what she's thinking so in the end he has to gather his information from those around her.

As for Nia's character, I love how many of you side with her. I'm happy how quick you're to support her. But her character is different from other self-inserts. Where many of them are able to adapt to the world they are in, I spend time writing about her difficulty coping with it. In fact, I make this one of the major conflicts throughout the story and I know it's frustrating to read -but I want to write it from a realistic point of view. There's also another conflict of her finding her purpose. A lot of passionate comments are being expressed about her need to protect Yuki, her being expendable. I can't give away much but I can say she's still growing into a strong and independent person and in the world of a pureblood, she will be able to adapt to the changes around her easily.

Yuki and Zero are two other characters that I must warn are different from the anime. Yuki may appear to be naive but she's astute and mature during certain situations. Zero doesn't carry hatred for all vampires. He may feel self-loathing as he did lose control one time but he's more relaxed and outgoing and this affects how he interacts with Nia and Kaien in some form. His relationship with Yuki on the other hand is a work in progress.

I hope this explanation clears a few misunderstandings in the story. As a writer, I'm diverging this story from Vampire Knight and will bring it back to cannon and then take it along a new path. My writing is not that good as other authors who write self-inserts. They are truly amazing writers. I'm trying my best, and my writing skill is as it's being portrayed; it's something that takes time to unveil and when it does, it can amaze you.

Also, I do have a habit of returning to my work and making changes to enhance the flow of the writing and you're welcome to read it again.

I'm asking kindly for your patience, your time and for you to read this story with an open mind. The things you knew about Vampire Knight won't be the same in this story.

And now here's the question: are you willing to continue in this journey with me? Whatever is your answer, I will respect it.

Thank you.

~Perseverance-n~


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Before you read, I want to personally thank you all for reading and extra thanks to those of you for leaving wonderful reviews. All of your reviews seriously brought tears to my eyes. I literally couldn't stop crying because you all showed so much love and support for this story. You made me so speechless. And extra, extra, extra thank you for continuing this journey with me. I will try my best to make it worthwhile. :)

* * *

Air. I couldn't seem to drag enough of it into my lungs.

My fingers twitched.

Cracked lips parted. A pained croak escaped me.

A chill ran down my spine, and something sharp flickered through my head.

I swallowed heavily, and took another attempt of taking in air.

Red needles of fire lanced through my brain. Sweat broke out on my brow. I shuddered, a moan of agony filling the silence.

The pain became a tidal wave, and I was thrashing on something soft.

Memories reeled through a sea of agony, fractured images of a violent movie.

Red and white.

Rosy liquid staining everything in its path.

The warm flush of blood on my face and arms, then pain and darkness, and the sensation of floating.

Sounds crept into the haze. Click of heels against the flooring. Creaking against my side.

Finally, smells. Rusting metal mixed with lavender and roses.

The last two combinations, I'd smelled before.

 _Nia!_

The voice was distant. Demanding. It echoed through the agony locking my mind. But the pain swirled. I couldn't locate the voice. Couldn't reach it.

 _Nia!_

It was sharper this time, more urgent. The cloud of agony stirred, then dissipated. Suddenly, someone was in my mind, standing between me and the pain. A ghostly hand extended to me.

 _Nia._ The tone was different, softer and comforting. It sounded like Kaname.

But why would he talk to me like that?

Didn't he hate me?

Awareness returned, and I felt my body jerked.

I shied away from the ghostly appendage in front of me.

 _Nia._ His tone lowered to one of dissatisfaction.

This was the Kaname I knew, the one I disappointed with my presence.

 _Yuki needs you._

He moved his hand closer to me.

I cowered back.

 _Will you leave her alone?_

Would I? I rather be with my sister. At least there I was needed. I was loved.

 _If you leave, Yuki will be alone. Is that what you wish?_

An image of a brunette girl staring through a window, a small hand touching the glass filled my mind.

I cringed.

 _Can you imagine her world without you?_

That did it. My eyes opened and I gasped.

"It's all right." Kaname's voice was soft, soothing. His arms wrapped loosely around me. "You're going to be okay."

The air swirled around us, cooling my fevered skin. I sucked air greedily into my lungs. Realization was swift. I pulled back, his slack grip fell away. A hand went to my lips, the fingertips grazing my bottom rough one. I glanced down at my fingers to see red.

Kaname's gaze met mine, dark depths as expressionless as his face.

What did he do? I scooted back, noticing I didn't feel as much pain as I did before surfacing.

I pulled my gaze from Kaname to examine my surroundings. I was in some fancy bedroom with exquisite furnishings. But my location didn't matter. I was worried about the others.

Kaname touched a hand to my cheek, causing me to flinch.

As if burned, he moved it away and I exhaled a breath.

I didn't want him to touch me, not when metallic liquid moistened my throat. Not when he did something to me against my will.

Doing the only thing that could calm my nerves, I forced myself to shift all the way back until I felt the headboard of the bed against my back. The coolness crept through my torn clothes, reminding me of reality.

I looked at Kaname while wiping my mouth with tattered sleeves.

He looked unfazed by my reaction as he responded to me. "What you did Nia, is completely reckless and irresponsible."

He studied me for a moment, silence thickening in the air between us. I simply blinked several times at him.

"It almost cost you your life."

I wanted to mention to him that I did die already, but dying wasn't a theme to take lightly. It was dark and painful, it was something I didn't want me or anyone else to endure.

"Did you think about the repercussion of your actions?"

It must have been the blood or the adrenaline flowing through my veins but I felt braver, enough so to cross my arms.

His next move startled me. He slightly shook his head and a smile crept up the corner of his thin lips. He closed the distance between us, causing the bed to dip and creak with his movement. My heart began to flutter.

His eyes flashed and I blinked, imagining that I saw scarlet.

His long, warm fingers encircled my wrist, making me gasp. A tingling sensation traveled up my arm. Quickly, with my other hand, I slapped at the appendage holding me.

"Fine." His voice was flat. Cold.

He let go, then retreated, giving me air to breathe. Another silence fell between us. A silence that was tense. I wasn't happy being in the room alone with him. He was unpredictable and untamable. If only Yuki was around.

Slowly, I shifted to the edge of the bed, feeling the intensity of his stare on me. The more distance he kept between us the better but the silence itched my skin until I felt ready to scream.

He watched, his expression devoid of emotion as I stood on wobbly legs, the bed making too much noise from my struggle. I inhaled a deep breath to try to calm the edginess in my nerves as I scanned my surroundings. There were three doors and this being a fancy bedroom, one of the doors had to be an exit.

He took a step to the right, his movement deliberate. He blocked me and the door.

My fists clenched at my sides as I raised my head. A tingling sensation flowed through my arms and legs. I opened my mouth and a name left my lips. "Kaien-sama!"

His red-brown eyes widened.

Feeling courage again, I yelled, "Kaien-sama!"

The door shot opened and Kaien was standing at the threshold, looking disheveled and breathing hard. Long strands of ash blond hair fell over his face. He wasn't wearing his glasses.

Relief and happiness rushed over me. I dashed sloppily, barely side-stepping the pureblood to collapse in Kaien's arms.

"Kaien-sama," I breathed, glad to feel safe again and gratitude to be alive.

The man hesitated before wrapping trembling arms around me. "Nia," he whispered. He bent down, fully embracing me. I felt wetness against my neck. "I never... I'm so glad you're okay."

That was all I wanted to hear.

OoO

Failure. That was how Kaien felt. He watched with a defeated expression as the pureblood walked into the bedroom Nia occupied.

He was more than astonished when he saw how Kaname approached him. There was an uncontrollable rage seething through his frame. Kaien couldn't recall the last time he'd seen a vampire present himself/herself like the pureblood. Any vampire that did was ordered to be taken out.

Yet he failed at preventing Kaname from entering Nia's bedroom. The pureblood was still young and yet he was immensely powerful. The fact that he was still growing in strength unsettled the former vampire hunter.

And Nia would have to deal with the rage that Kaien let go.

Nia.

The former vampire hunter wanted her alive and well again but the sickening, dreadful feeling overwhelming him made him second-question himself. Did he do the right thing by calling Kaname into the Vampire Hunter Association?

But if he let her die, then he would deeply regret not being able to do everything in his power to bring her back. And he wouldn't be able to face Yuki.

Kaien shook his head. Tiredly, he rested his face against his hand, removing his long ash blond hair that obscured his vision. He exhaled a long breath.

No. He didn't make a mistake in calling Kaname tonight to save Nia. If anything, he put the pureblood in danger. Kaname had risked exposing himself and to some extent his true power to the Vampire Hunter Association. There was a high probability that his name was going to be in the list of dangerous vampires, although his status of pureblood might query its hold. Vampires treasured purebloods and treated them like royalty and Kaname's last name was derived from the ancient family that once ruled the vampire world.

And the pureblood was currently the Kuran heir.

He had a high social status position in the vampire world and such influence could be deadly.

And by chance that Nia became a vampire like him, everything would drastically change.

The ash blond man removed the hand from his face as he raised his head to look at the closed door. He lost track of time. A part of him wanted to investigate the happenings behind the bedroom door but another part of him wanted to turn a blind eye.

In such a mix -desperate to save his daughter while questioning the morality of altering her life- Kaien felt lost. He wished for Nia to be alive, not caring if her pureblood was awakened by Kaname, yet at the same time her happiness meant a lot to him.

Since adapting Yuki and her, Nia hadn't been as open and affectionate as Yuki. Nia always kept her distance, as though she was a dot outside of a circle. There had been an aura of sadness that swallowed her eyes and hunched her frame. Yuki was the only one she allowed close to her; the brunette was the one that cracked the mask in her demeanor. He had witnessed some of her rare smiles as she focused on her cousin. He had heard her soft voice as she patiently taught the child and answered her questions. Sometimes, Kaien felt like he was seeing a miniature version of an adult.

Such a thought should be ridiculous, but he'd seen the thick books she read and the way she presented herself to Yuki, always taking care of her cousin. Nia was very mature for her age.

And Kaname had observed the same trait in her.

But as quiet, vigilant and distant as she was, she still affected them. Yuki adored and looked at her as a role model. Recently, she befriended the defiant Zero and the silver-headed boy was smiling and cracking jokes at her. Kaien had grown attached to their customary but silent gathering. While he was reading a book or watching television, she would sit silently beside him with a book in hand. If he was in the kitchen preparing meals, she would help him by adding herbs and spices to the food or chopping meat and vegetables. Lately, she began smiling at him too.

Creaking sounds penetrated the door, making his eyes widened. Movement meant she was alive.

Hope filled his chest, taking away the pain.

With renewed energy, he rose to his feet. His long messy hair fell into his face.

Again, there were more sounds coming from the other room. He had half-a-mind to barge through the door.

Then he heard someone calling out to him. "Kaien-sama!"

He shoved the hair away from his face and put a hand on the doorknob.

"Kaien-sama!" the shrilling voice called out again. Instantly turning the knob, the door swiftly opened to reveal Kaname. Reddish, brownish blending into white quickly blinded him while something wrapped around his waist. "Kaien-sama," the person said breathily.

The shock of the small person hugging him paralyzed him. Nia. She was alright and she was in front of him. He lifted his arms and encircled her.

"Nia," he whispered, finally believing that the normally quiet child was alive. Kaien stooped to her level before fully hugging her, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I never... I'm so glad you're okay."

The girl tightened her hold on him. And then her body began to tremble. Gently, he pulled away from her, his fingers briefly touching the sides of her throat to see the signs of bite marks. Feeling nothing, he could assume that Kaname had enough time to heal the wounds. The child was still shaking as he tilted his head back to gaze at the pureblood vampire. He had felt the vampire's stare on them since the moment he entered the room.

"Are you okay?" he asked the child softly. His kept a steady stare on Kaname.

She didn't verbally answer him but her hand reached for his one and she put it on the smooth surface of her cheek. A cheek that once had deep jagged scrapes. She motioned with her head; repeatedly up and down. Letting out a sigh of relief, he risked taking his eyes off the dangerous vampire and looked at the girl. Her body was still slightly quivering.

"How about you get cleaned up? I know how you like to be clean," the former vampire hunter suggested. The slight lift of her lips confirmed that he had her cooperation. "The bathroom is over there." He pointed to the other door across from them. "Would you like help to get there?"

She nodded to his surprise. He curved his arm around her shoulders as he stood up but he kept his shoulder close to her, causing him to bend awkwardly. She moved, more like limped in the direction of the bathroom. They paused for him to open the door and turn on the light.

"Will you be okay?" he asked her. If not, he could send for one of the female vampire hunters to assist Nia.

The child bobbed her head.

"The bathroom has all the essentials by the sink area and the towel is in the cabinet," he notified her. The bedrooms in the Vampire Hunter Association were equipped with supplies and refreshments for their vampire hunters who had to stay overnight from their missions. It came with the massive wealth that the president accumulated from difficult missions. Partially, those missions concerned wealthy vampires hiring vampire hunters to take out degenerate vampires from their dark world.

Nia stayed quiet as she limped into the bathroom. The shutting of the door was his reply.

Seeing that she was okay, the ex-vampire hunter rose to his full height and turned to face the lethal pureblood. It was amazing how Kaname composed himself, greatly differing someone who moments ago lost his temper. He stood tall and elegant, his face a mask of calm. Kaien had to wonder if the graceful placidness was a façade.

"Perhaps we can talk elsewhere?"

Kaname lifted his arm into the air. His hand gesturing for him to lead the way. The ash blond man was skeptical of having his back on the vampire but if Kaname wanted to hurt him, the pureblood would have done it the time he entered the room. Deliberately, he put his back facing the pureblood and he led the way into the hallway. He continued onward, his eyes scanning the other rooms in the mansion. He tried his best to school his emotions. The pureblood hadn't left any room untouched.

Realizing there was no other choice, Kaien went into a room that didn't seem badly wrecked as the other rooms. In this room, which was once an office, the chairs were overturned, cushions ripped apart, papers crumbled and scattered about, and the walls were torn as if an animal had scraped it with talons. At least the light was still working.

He halted and waited for the vampire to settle into the room. Only when the footsteps stilled and the silence deafened the atmosphere did Kaien say something. "Thank you for coming."

"Do you realize consequence of her actions?" Kaname asked.

"I have some ideas." Kaien pivoted on his feet, his hazel eyes glinting at the vampire.

The air hushed.

He swallowed before asking the real question haunting him. "Is she... one of you?"

The pureblood raised his narrow eyebrows. "You can't discern her aura?"

The truth was Kaien was too caught in the moment of seeing the impossible. The white-haired girl was alive. For her to be moving around in such a short amount of time displayed an inkling of Kaname's power. A pureblood of his kind to heal a child close to death was beyond comprehendible. Upon making Nia a vampire, her body still needed time to recover. He recalled how his fingers touched her neck and cheek and its smoothness baffled him. He couldn't see beyond her tattered clothes, the dirt and the dried-up blood that had stained her pale skin. But her skin was an indication that her bodily wounds had healed, especially not viewing the deep scrapes across her cheeks.

"She's not a vampire if that's what you're pondering."

Kaien didn't know if he should feel disappointed or relieved.

As if reading his expression, Kaname said, "However, she's not fully human either."

"What are you saying?"

Kaname's lips lifted into a small smile. Something flickered in the dark depths of his eyes. "She won't be vulnerable anymore."

Kaien had to restrained himself. He almost closed the distance between them and clutched roughly onto the pureblood's pristine black long coat. Just almost. His fists tightened at his sides.

"What exactly did you to her?"

"I made her invincible for time being," the pureblood answered nonchalantly.

How could Kaname appear to be cool when whatever he did deeply altered Nia's life?

"You do realize she is Yuki's cousin." Kaien needed to remind the vampire that the child was a person; she was closely related to his precious beloved.

"I am well aware of who she is."

"And any alterations to her might affect your relationship with..."

The tranquil look on Kaname's face changed as fast as lightening. "You don't want to complete that sentence."

Kaien knew when to give up a lost cause. Apparently, the vampire was aware of his doings. Nia's livelihood must have been planned out a long time ago. From the ex-vampire hunter's experiences with the vampire society, purebloods always gauged each other. It became a game, like a test of wills to see who would land on top. And as a matter of fact, Kaname's position in the vampire society had him there.

To see that Yuki and Nia would somewhat later enter the scene as purebloods, concerned him. Currently, they were just children, barely in their adolescences. When they entered vampire society as purebloods having had learned the lifestyle of humans, they would be labeled as outcasts and be defenseless to a new world. Honestly, he didn't know what Juri and Hio were thinking when they turned their children into humans.

"You are fully prepared for dealing with this incident?" Kaname broke his reverie. "As it is, this outbreak will cause a rift between the Senate and Vampire Hunter Association."

Kaien shook his head as his shoulders sagged. "I no longer have a say with the Vampire Hunter Association now that I retired."

"Then this will change the course of the plan."

What plan? Kaien was curious, seeming that the pureblood's plan involved him and his children but he had the idea that Kaname wouldn't fill him in on the details. Part of the vampire's power came by withholding information and he did it well. He only let people know bits and pieces while he unscrambled and meticulously planned everything in his mind. This mull made Kaien shudder.

He was beginning to understand the danger that Kaname had forewarned him when he took the children under his care. The evil that were after two innocent girls had to be deadly for the pureblood to resort to dangerous actions. However, the fact theirs and his life were being weighed in the palm of the vampire's hand was painful. It seemed like they didn't have a choice. They had become part of a deadly game of purebloods. They were left to see which one would triumph.

"Perhaps, you can negotiate with the Senate," Kaien added, trying to figure the next part of his plan.

"And what will become of the bargaining piece? The Vampire Hunter Association already have your son. Are you willing to hand over your daughter?"

His eyes widened. "What are you saying about Nia?"

"The Senate will want something to appease them for the time being. Nia is the right candidate."

Nails dug deeply into Kaien's palms. "You won't let that happen."

"As it is, if the Senate doesn't obtain her, the other side will."

"But they have Zero."

"They won't accept just that after this incident. Examine your surroundings." Kaname put a hand to his back while his other hand gestured to the place around them.

"You didn't have to react so violently," the ash blond man accused.

"This attack shouldn't have happened. The girls should have been at home. Why were they here?"

"The President asked for them to be present for the official signing of my retirement form."

Kaname's eyes narrowed. "And you didn't find that suspicious?"

"We did."

"Who?"

"Zero and I... and Nia."

"What about Yuki?"

"She was taking a nap at the time."

The pureblood lifted his hand, his finger curled under his chin as he looked deep in thought. "So she was able to detect that there was something suspicious about this meeting?" A small smile formed on the vampire's thin lips.

"The attack here had to be intentional," Kaien interrupted Kaname's pondering. "We had an astonishing encounter with Ichijo-sama and his grandson."

"Making accusations without evidence isn't wise Kaien-san but it's out of the ordinary that the Vampire Hunter Association will meet with two aristocrat vampires."

"I'm not accusing anyone, it's just that this incident might have been planned."

The pureblood's eyes hardened and the air chilled at some point. Kaien felt like his lungs were going to freeze over. "We will leave this discussion for a better time. Until then, Nia will be coming with me."

"Wait, what?" Kaien was startled. "You can't just take her!"

"If she doesn't come with me, the Vampire Hunter Association will take her and what will they do with her?"

They would lock her up in a prison and experiment on her. How could he forget about that?

"At least with me, she will learn about her abilities. She needs time to come to terms with what she turned into."

The pureblood glanced at him over his shoulder, suspecting that Kaien wanted to say something but he was the one who called the vampire to save his child. He had to accept everything.

The pureblood turned his head. He elegantly made his way out of the room, leaving Kaien with no other choice but to follow him.

OoO

Kaname had done something to me. I could feel a difference in my limbs. My body didn't hurt as I wiggled my fingers and my toes. Now that I had wash the blood, dirt, and sweat from my body I noticed my skin looked baby soft and clear. And the moistness in my throat, I couldn't imagine, no, I refused to believe that it was blood.

But how else would have I recover on a massive scale from that attack? Level E vampires should have drunk all my blood. In fact, I shouldn't be in this world anymore.

Kaname definitely did something to me.

I wiped away the fog from the bathroom mirror with my hand and watched the reflection of myself. My eyes were still the same scarlet that differed from everyone else's ones. My soaking wet hair remained as white as snow. I looked away from the mirror and wiggled my fingers again. I had felt it, the difference. Outwardly, I appeared as the same girl but inwardly I felt like I was stronger and better. There was no pain, no coldness, no hunger and fear. Why?

I could demand for answers from Kaname but when I was in the same room with him, I couldn't bring myself to speak a word. Apparently, the years of keeping silent in his presence became a bad habit and bad habits die hard.

Maybe I could locate the book he gave me a while back and see if it mentioned situations like mine. I turned my attention back to the mirror. With my index finger and thumb, I picked up the upper lip and examined the top row of my teeth. My tongue swept the corner of my mouth where my canine teeth were supposed to be. They looked normal unlike a vampire's teeth. Wherever Yuki was, I could ask her to take a look at Kaname's teeth. He wouldn't hesitate to let her touch his fangs. After all, he did have a soft spot for her.

Hastily, I grabbed the towel and wrapped it around my body. I walked, noting the lack of limping, out the bathroom and searched around the room until I spotted clothes in the draws and closet. Smelling some of the clothes and laying them out on the bed, I picked the ones that were close to my size. I threw the damp towel on the bed and donned on an under shirt, short pants with a long baggy pants and a buttoned-up shirt. The clothes were black and seemed more masculine but I didn't mind since I preferred comfort over looking good.

And then I headed for the main door, opening it to be startled by my findings. The attack from the Level E vampires destroyed the mansion. There were debris on the floor, cracks in the ceiling and floors, the exquisite furniture and paintings laid in ruins. Glancing down at my bare feet and at the rubble before me, I stepped back. Without shoes, I was asking to get hurt.

But if I stayed in the bedroom, I wouldn't know what happened to the others. I needed to know if Yuki and Zero were alright. But most of all I needed to check on Yuki. She was the last person on my mind before everything went dark.

Thinking of the words of my little sister imparted on me, I knew some part of my happiness was seeing the people I cared about being contented. Besides, Yuki's smiles were infectious. When she smiled others smiled along with her. She had a way of making the dullest places lively; she left behind heart prints.

No longer caring about the scattered debris, I began walking down the hallway. I placed careful steps along the edges of the hallway. I winced as I felt something sharp pierced my heel but I rubbed it and continued down the hall.

A feeling began to emerge in me, as if I was heading toward something I knew. Halting, I placed a hand on the cracked wall next to me. I stared down the expanse of the hallway, wondering when would it end.

The feeling came back with a vengeance causing me to be wary. I studied my surroundings. If I made progress down the hall, I was going to run in whatever was stirring this feeling in me. But I had nowhere else to go unless I decided to take cover in one of the rooms.

There was a shift in me like a heavy block was being moved. I hunched over, my hand coming to my stomach. That same hand traveled to my throat and I tried my best to clear it.

Then I heard voices coming my way. Observing that it was too late for me to flee or hide, I straightened up. A determined expression overtook my face.

Kaname. If I had to see him again, I wouldn't back down. No, I would face him. A surge of energy flowed through me making me stand straighter.

Silver hair of a boy filled my vision. Lavender eyes widened on me. "Nia," the person said in astonishment.

"Zero," I whispered back. I couldn't believe my luck in finding him or him discovering me.

Then I was wrapped tightly in his arms. "Nia, I can't believe you're alive," he said the words next to my ear. It hadn't occurred to me before but I never allowed people other than Yuki to touch me. Zero was a couple of inches taller than me and now that he embraced me, I could feel the other differences between us. Cheeks reddening, I spread my hands against his chest and pushed him away.

He stumbled back, momentarily losing his balance. My eyes rounded at him and then my hands. A slight push had enough power to separate him from me. That had to be impossible. I could see the question in his eyes. My eyes shifted from him to the other tall raven head behind him. His face was expressionless. Gathering that he wasn't a threat, I let my hands fall limp at my sides.

I bowed my head as an apology escaped my lips. "I'm sorry." The last person I wanted to hurt was Zero. He was my friend until the day he would learn the truth that would bring about the inevitable. His hatred.

"Nia," he said softly. His fingers reached out to me, I could see the tips of it through the screen of my hair. "It's me who should be apologizing."

I shook my head and then I looked directly into his beautiful eyes. "No."

"But..."

"No," I said with more force. The remorse was building on his face. When he felt like he wronged someone, he shut everyone out. I wasn't going to let him blame himself when it was my fault for being reckless. At the time, I was willing to throw my life to save Yuki, believing that it would be enough to change everything in Vampire Knight. But my sister's words played in my mind. All the time I was thinking that my purpose was to save Yuki's life seeing that she was centerfold of Vampire Knight.

But I was given a third chance at life.

And dying had a way of changing of me.

In this third life, every moment should count. That meant cherishing my time with the people around me. As much as I wanted to keep my distance from Yuki, Zero, Kaien and Kaname, they became a part of me; they were a big part of my happiness.

I knew what I wanted to do; what I had to do.

It began with breaking boundaries. I clutched onto his shoulders. My eyes boring into his beautiful ones. "Listen to me, Zero."

I slightly shook his frame when he wasn't focused on me, noticing that I had more strength than before. When Zero was staring right back at me, I said the words slowly and clearly for him to understand. "You're not at fault for what happened to me. I'm the one who got hurt for my dumbness. It's my fault and if you say anything else, I'll make you regret it."

He continued to gaze at me until his pupils dilated, realization hitting him hard. He took in a gush of air. A slow smile spread on my face as I let him go. Good, at least he wasn't blaming himself anymore.

I shifted my attention to the hallway behind the tall and dark man. Goosebumps formed along my skin. The hair at the nape of my neck began to tingle. A menacing aura was heading our way. The vampire hunter swiveled on his feet, his hand deftly removing the anti-vampire weapon at his back.

Zero also turned around. He stepped in front of me to block me from the people heading in our direction. According to my over heightened senses, I had an alarming feeling I knew who was coming toward us. I had the same feeling from before. Peering at the side of Zero, I saw another tall person emerged from the shadows of the hallway. Instantly, I recognized Kaien who tagged along behind Kaname.

They both came to a stop. My fingers clutched at Zero's arms for a second and I could have sworn that Kaname's dark eyes lingered to Zero's arms before moving to Toga.

"Isn't this a nice welcoming?" Kaname questioned. His voice sounded entrancing.

"It wasn't for you," the raven head answered. "It was for the girl."

"Well, I'm afraid we're going to cut the welcoming short." What did Kaname mean by that?

"You're not the one to decide that."

"I'm not the one who is going to explain how a bunch of Level E vampires trespass on private property, especially one with spelled barriers to keep untamed vampires out."

The raven head said nothing and Kaname smiled. Then his eyes landed on me and I felt my breath hitched in my throat.

"Nia," he said in a commanding tone. "Come here."

"No," Zero denied. "She won't listen to you."

"You have nothing to do with this, boy."

Zero growled. His muscles stiffened under my fingers.

"Nia," Kaname commanded. "Do you want to see more people hurt?"

I squeezed harder on my friend's arms. Kaname wouldn't hurt Kaien and the others. What would Yuki think of him if she found out?

"No," I whispered. Zero was right. I didn't have to listen him, although he was the one who saved my life yet again.

"Nia," he admonished. His stare intensified, unnerving me. I hid behind Zero, pressing my forehead against his spine.

I tried my best to inhale and exhale air to calm my beating heart but the feeling of burning inside out overtook me. I gasped, grasping tighter to Zero.

"Nia?" Zero questioned me.

"I'm fine," I hissed out.

"You don't sound like it."

"Zero."

"Nia," Kaname's voice drowned out the silver-head's next words.

Suddenly, I let go of Zero and stepped out from behind him.

"Nia," Zero said. He grabbed my wrist, temporarily halting me.

"Let me go." Somehow, I acknowledged that if I didn't go to Kaname, the others would pay, not me. The emotions swelling in me were a warning.

"No, Nia. You don't have to listen to him."

"I do, Zero. Now just let me go."

"No, I lost you once. I won't let it happen it again."

"You're not going to lose me." I pivoted on my feet, a hand caressing his right cheek. "I'll come back to you and Yuki. I promise."

I had found a reason to live and it had more purpose than just protecting Yuki.

"Trust me."

His fingers slowly loosened on my wrist. My lips stretched across my face and I hoped my smile looked reassuring to him. Deliberately, I retreated from him, keeping the same smile on my face until I bumped into something hard. Something large circled the crown of my head and my body sagged against the hard person behind me and then I was swept off my feet, my world fading into black.

OoO

Nia. She was alive and well. She was standing before him. Her smile was breathtaking as her wet hair surrounded her face. He never noticed the length or the thickness despite it being wet because it didn't matter. Nia was a girl who didn't fret about her looks. She was simple.

But as he watched her slowly retreating from him, wearing men's clothes that were too big for her, he realized that she came to be someone important to him. Out of the Cross members, she was the one he could confide in and relate to.

And he felt like he was losing her.

Just as he was about to call her name, Kaname's large hand went to the top of her head. There was an unnatural glow before she collapsed against him. A rage of fury engulfed him but it was Toga who held him back. The pureblood swept her still form into his arms. Her head rested against his chest, her left arm seemed to dangle lifelessly at his side.

"What do you intend to do with her?" the tall vampire hunter asked.

"She will be safer from your kind while she's with me."

Still struggling in his former master's arms, Zero noted when Toga switched his attention to Kaien. "What does he mean?"

"The Vampire Hunter Association will seek compensation. They will want her."

"But they can't unless she shows potential or..."

Zero froze. He waited for Toga to finish but the man never worded the full meaning. "I understand," his former master said instead. The tall man cleared the way in the hall. Kaname strolled past them with an unconscious Nia.

"Nia!" Zero called out to her, hoping she would wake up. He renewed his struggle but the ex-teacher's grip remained firm.

"Nia!" he tried again. The gap between him and the pureblood seemed to expand within a short amount of time. "Nia!"

By the time he called her out her name again, there was no sign of the pureblood or his friend.

OoO

"Wasn't that a little to cruel?" Ichijo questioned Kaname as he gracefully made his way outside with the unconscious girl. The blond opened the car door of the limousine. The aristocrat hadn't left with his grandfather. He chose to stay behind when he sensed Kaname coming to Vampire Hunter Association.

"No. What is cruel is the pain they allowed her to feel before her death. As vampire hunters, they are such a disgrace."

Ichijo closed the door when he settled in the seat across from the pureblood. He quietly watched as the pureblood shifted her body so that she rested peacefully against him. Perhaps if the other aristocrats were around, they would be outraged that Kaname had intimately embraced the girl.

The car started to move. Kaname's hands swept through the girl's wet long locks. "Her hair grew longer from the last time we saw her."

"Yes, it did."

Ichijo's eyes adjusted to the hands folded on his lap.

"Do you have something you want to ask, Takuma?"

Kaname was one of the few people to call his name without adding anything to it.

"Ask it."

"Is she one of us?" Ichijo finally asked.

There was a hint of a smile across his face. "It depends on certain factors."

He sat still for a second, closing his eyes while his vampiric senses radiated from his body. He pulled in his aura while his green eyes shot open. "Your blood runs through her veins."

"It was the only way I can save her."

"But she's not a vampire."

The pureblood sighed, his fingers sliding through his hair, his palm blocking Ichijo from seeing his usual calm eyes. "She's one of them now. She's a vampire hunter."

"Then that makes her our adversary."

Kaname swiped his hand through his hair. A half-smile lingered on his face. "She could never be one for us."

Ichijo received the hint not to question the pureblood further. He was fortunate enough that Kaname shared some information with him. The white-haired girl must be significant for him to give his precious blood too. From what he could recall in vampire society, purebloods didn't let a drop of their blood spill without good reason. Their blood was priceless and yet a human girl now had his blood flowing through her veins.

Furthermore, Kaname had changed her life. She was no longer an ordinary human, but an enhanced one with the abilities to slay their kind. Did Kaname make a monster? He said she could never be an adversary. Did that mean she would become an ally?

For the pureblood to save her as many times as he did, he definitely held her in the highest regard, which meant that Ichijo had to follow suit.

The rest of the ride remained quiet.

* * *

 **A/N:** I don't think I ended this chapter with a cliff hanger. That's a good thing. Also, I'm starting to put the pairing from the poll into effect. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)


	10. Chapter 9

Kaname crossed one leg over another as he sat in a luxurious chair. A cup of tea was in one hand. The fingers of his other hand were curled under his chin. He looked deep into the brownish-red content of his tea that Takuma Ichijo made for him. The color reminded him of Yuki; what color her eyes would be if she was like him.

His beloved Yuki.

Everything he did was for her. To protect her; to make her happy.

But there were other matters to deal with such as the one sleeping in the bedroom across from him.

"How is the tea?" Ichijo's voice meddled into his thoughts. "Is it to your liking?"

"Hmmm..." was the rare answer he gave.

"Oh, that's good. It's a new flavor, caramel truffle I believe. The tea is said to taste like chocolate."

"Hmmm...," he said again.

"Well, you can keep enjoying the tea while I check on our guest. Do you know how long she will be staying with us?"

"However long it takes," was his lazy reply.

The blond said nothing to that. Kaname didn't like to talk about the specifics when it came to things on his mind but regarding this particular guest, he could share some details.

"What do you think of her?" he asked the blond suddenly. The aristocrat, who was pushing a cart with snacks and items to make tea, paused.

"I think she's quite nice," Ichijo tried to end his sentence there but the pureblood was aware he wanted to add more.

"And?"

"Well, she's quite spirited."

"Spirited. Hmmm." The brunette heir didn't get enough time to observe her. But the little snippets he spent with her, he noticed the defiant and wary look in her eyes. She didn't like being alone with him. He could sense the nervousness in her small frame by the quick beating of her heart and the sudden rush of blood flowing through her veins.

He closed his eyes as he leaned the back of his head on the edge of the seat. He could take a simple taste of her blood and end all the questions he had about her. Her blood was the key.

But an unknown emotion was holding him back.

One drop of her blood... It could change everything.

And he couldn't deviate from the plan.

Rido was coming for his precious girl and he, unable to kill the monster, had to make sure that all the chess pieces fell into place.

The one who would play the major role was the one sleeping in the room.

Already, he figured that her loyalty was to Yuki. The child would do everything in her power to save Yuki. Her death proved that fact. But her loyalty ended there. The girl still had her own mind and she didn't trust him.

"Selective mutism."

"Did you say something Kaname?" The pureblood didn't comment on the lack of the aristocrat's honorific.

"She has selective mutism."

"But isn't that something common in younger children?"

"Normally it is. However, she is an exception."

"I'm not following."

"She's baffling, complicated." Frustrating was the right word he wanted to use. The white-haired girl, who was beginning to look like her mother these days, was difficult to figure out. He could read people, he made his livelihood out of it. Having knowledge about their strengths and weaknesses and using them to his advantage he did well.

With Nia, he found himself at a lost.

Yuki became her weakness, which he capitalized on.

But then his precious girl was also his weakness. And the moments he did use Yuki on Nia to make her do what he wanted, he felt something inside him crack.

For some frustrating reason, he wanted her to want to do something for him because she chose to do it.

But he took away her freedom of choice by putting life in her.

"She is rather unique. Very different from our kind," Ichijo finally commented.

"She's so different from Yuki."

"Oh, I see."

"No. She has knowledge like an adult. She takes care of others and does things for their sake." He remembered her last words to Zero. She promised that she would return to the boy and Yuki.

"And there are times I'm talking to her, I feel like I'm talking to an adult and then I blink my eyes and realize she's just a child."

Ichijo didn't reply right away but when he did, his words were always thoughtful. "Perhaps, you can take this time to learn about her."

"Apparently, time is something we don't have."

"Are you talking the incident from the Vampire Hunter Association."

"Whoever attacked that place, he was searching for something and he found it." Nia's blood was the answer they were looking for and soon they would demand for her.

It would be either the Council or the Vampire Hunter Association.

"We have to prove that nothing happened to Cross-san and when we do, they can't take her."

But there were too many witnesses who saw an injured body. No, they had to keep low key, stick to the story. However, no one would be informed that the child actually died. Instead, she would be recovering and he could use her incident as a way to establish a neutral location.

In the meantime, he was going to train the white-haired girl to properly defend herself.

He brought the steaming cup of tea to his lips. Taking a sip of the chocolatey tea, his eyes widened a fraction.

"I told you the tea is delicious."

It had to do more than the tea. A notion struck him.

"When you were introduced to Kaien-san's girls, who did the speaking?"

Ichijo blinked his eyes. "Uhh... Nia-san."

A slight smile displayed on his face. It was times like this that made Kaname question her level of intelligence. She was suspicious about the whole ordeal at the Vampire Hunter Association and she introduced herself to the aristocrats.

Their eyes were off Yuki.

"Kaname-sama?"

"And their eyes are on Nia."

Intentionally, she made herself the target.

Now, it was time to return the favor. The incident only made his plan move quicker along its path.

"Takuma, call in the Senate and some members from the Vampire Hunter Association. It's time we settle this whole situation." Kaname would train the child to fight.

He glanced at the door, a new found of respect formed for the girl.

"Okay," his friend responded and he pushed the cart out of the room, leaving the pureblood to mull.

OoO

Yuki's body felt like lead, even when she blinked the sleepiness away from her eyes. Her mouth was like a desert. Parched, her eyes drifted to the nightstand next to her, easily spotting the glass of water.

"Yuki," the voice of her father rang in her ears.

She didn't answer him. She kept her focus on the water, signifying to him that she needed it.

Reading her expression, he helped her sit up on the bed before putting the drink to her lips. At first, she sipped lightly. Then she greedily gulped down the rest of the liquid. A sigh left her when she finished. She rested the upper part of her body against the soft wall of pillows. Her eyes flickered across the room, noticing the dresser, a mirror, two doors, a cream-colored curtain, but there was something missing.

"Nia and Zero?" the question formed.

"They are fine," Kaien answered easily.

She frowned. "Especially, Nia?"

The last time the brunette saw Nia, she was laying on the ground, motionless and bloody. The sight had a profound effect on her.

"That should have been me."

Kaien's forehead creased. "What?"

"Nia shouldn't have been the one to get hurt. It was suppose to be me," she confessed.

"Yuki-."

"She threw herself at the monsters to save me," the child interrupted him. Then she shook her head. "Why? Why does she put herself through all those dangerous situations?"

She burst into tears. Her hands covered her face.

"Yuki?" the ash blond man said. "It's not your fault."

"That's the thing. It is my fault. I couldn't do anything to save her," Yuki said in between her sobs.

"And if you did, you'd be hurt," Kaien replied while putting his arms awkwardly around his adapted daughter. "Don't you see? She wanted to make sure you were safe."

The girl laughed if possible behind her sobs. Nia always made sure to look out for her. It seemed like Nia was her bodyguard or something.

 _"Then how about her being your shield?"_ Zero's question popped into her mind.

Yuki's eyes widened, her body stiffening. "I need to see her," she said. She pushed back the covers and threw her legs to the side of the mattress. The man blocked her with his body, his head shifting in a negative manner. "You can't, you need to rest."

Yuki wasn't listening to him. Instead, her small hands grabbed on to his shirt while she used what little strength she had left to hoist herself from the bed.

"She needs to rest," he tried again.

"I know she's probably sleeping but I need to see her with my own eyes. I need to see if she's okay," Yuki expressed. Her eyes looked up to him, pleading him to understand.

Again, he shook his head. "I can't." He put heavy hands on her shoulders. "You are in no condition to visit her."

She could feel him pushing her to sit down. She struggled briefly under his hold but her attempts were futile. "Please."

The moment she gave up, she let him guide her to lay back down on the soft covers. He propped the pillows under her head. "I don't mean to sound harsh but look at the way you look."

The brunette glanced down at her body. Her face scrunched at the wrinkled, torn clothes she worn. Although she no longer had on her coat, dried blood caked her dress. Her father was right. Nia wouldn't want her visiting in a messy state.

"I definitely need a shower and a change of clothes." Then her stomach rumbled. "And I'm hungry."

"That's all." Kaien smiled at her. "Take care of yourself and then we can go see Nia together."

The girl nodded. The faster she saw to her needs, the quicker she could take care of her cousin because that was the only thing she could do for her.

"Good, then."

"Yep." The ex-vampire hunter got up and moved to the dresser. He began pulling draws and showing her where to find certain article of clothing. Fortunately, he didn't refer to any private garments. Yuki would find those clothing on her own. He pointed to the bathroom and then left her to her privacy. The brunette shifted her body on the mattress and mentally counted to ten. This time, she was going to focus on the task of making herself presentable to Nia. Her lips stretched across her face at the thought of her cousin being okay. When Kaien was breathing air into her cousin's mouth to revive her, fear made itself evident in Yuki. Besides being frightened of Level E vampires and the dark, Yuki felt another dread, one that she didn't mull over. She refused to think of a time when Nia was no longer present in her life. For Yuki, it was natural for them to be together because they were always side-by-side.

Yuki shook her head. No negative thoughts. Instead, she wanted to celebrate the fact that her cousin was alive and well.

The child pulled out random clothing from the draws and made her way to the bathroom.

OoO

The former vampire hunter closed the door behind him. For once, he used his tall form to his advantage. Deliberately, he didn't open the door the whole way. He opened it wide enough so he could slip through the crease of the door and the doorframe. He didn't want his daughter to see the aftermath the Level E vampires and Kaname left behind in the mansion. Some things were better kept secrets.

He shut the door quietly behind him and leaned against wooden frame. Bowing his head and taking a deep breath, momentarily, he felt remorse and grief rearing in him. One was for his taken daughter and the other was refraining himself from telling his other daughter the truth.

As if someone read his mind, the person didn't beat around the bush to point it out. "So you're not going to tell her what really happened?"

After a slight pause, the ex-vampire hunter glanced to the silver-headed boy. "I can't find it in myself to tell her the truth."

"She deserves to know that the bastard of a vampire she admires took away her cousin and that he's a monster."

Kaien stayed silent.

"You think he's some good guy and even allowed him to walk away with Nia," the boy accused him.

Kaien's eyes lowered to the floor. Abashment filled him. He had to be the worse father in history.

"I wouldn't have let him near the girls in the first place. A pureblood vampire like him wants something."

"He's not like the one who..."

"Who what?" asked Zero. "He's not the one who killed my family. I know not all vampires are bad like not all humans are good but his facial features, he looks the one who murdered my parents. And seeing him affable with the girls, when he's clearly after something, it's vexes me. You're so gullible, thinking that vampires and humans can coexist. Vampires are predators by nature. When hunger strikes, it rules us. I know because I almost attacked Yuki."

Kaien saw how the boy's hands clenched into fists at his sides. His jaw tensed as his pale eyes narrowed on him.

"But you didn't hurt her."

"That's because you intervened."

"At least you are capable of feeling regret," Kaien replied. The ex-vampire hunter glanced up at the cracked ceiling. "Many vampires would attack and kill humans without caring."

"That's what I'm saying."

"And that makes you different. You know what it feels like to be human. You can feel regret over a human life. Don't lose that side of you now that you are a vampire."

Zero gritted his teeth but Kaien saw awareness flickered in his eyes. Yes, vampires and humans still had a long way to go before finding peace with one another. In fact, Kaien's dream was to establish a place where humans and vampires lived in harmony. He wasn't naïve to believe that such factors wouldn't harbor consequences. However, befriending Kaname, a pureblood, made him adhere that the first step to bringing humans and vampires together could be obtained.

Zero was also living proof. It was his humanity mixed with being a vampire that gave Kaien hope that someday vampires and humans could live together.

The boy grumbled inaudibly before turning his back on him. The ash blond man smiled while fixing his spectacles. Silently, he thanked the boy he would always see as a son for making him feel better.

OoO

Yuki took some time to get ready but once she was fully dressed, she opened the bedroom door with a big smile on her face. Her smile quickly vanished at the sight of short silver hair and lavender eyes of the boy who almost attacked her.

Her hand tightened on the doorknob.

"It's good to see you're not that stupid," he remarked as he casually leaned against the wall. His arms folded across his chest.

Her eyes darted nervously to either sides of the hallway when she noticed the cracked walls, peeling paint and the messy floor. "What happened?" she asked more to herself than the boy.

"While you were sleeping like a princess, your vampire boyfriend almost destroyed our headquarters and he abducted Nia," Zero simply answered.

"Kaname-sama is not..." She paused, her mind registering the rest of Zero's words. Pushing aside her fright, she closed the distance between them. As the boy's arms fell to his sides, her fingers curled into his shirt while she pushed her face to his. "What did you say about Nia?"

The boy smirked. "Your vampire boyfriend took her."

"You're lying!" she spat.

"If I am, go ahead and search throughout the mansion. You're not going to find Nia anywhere." He remained calm, causing her grip to loosen on his shirt.

"But dad said that we'll..."

"I take back my first reply. You really are stupid," he interrupted her.

Her fingers unclasped, her arms going limp. She retreated a couple of steps, disbelief evident in her form as she lowered her head.

"Your father," he stressed, "lied to you."

"Why?"

"Because he wants to see you happy."

She looked up at him, her breathing stalled. Zero was furious. She could tell by the tenseness in his jaw and the spark in his pale eyes.

"In fact, Nia wants to see you happy too."

He began to walk forward slowly, deliberately. She backed up, feeling fear overtake her. "What is so special about you?"

Yuki's back hit the wall. Her whole body started to tremble as Zero moved closer to her. "Why do they feel the need to protect you?"

Her head whipped to the side, her eyes shutting tight. His warm body pressed against hers, preventing her escape. She flinched when hands slammed hard on both sides of her head.

"Aren't you going to answer, idiot?"

She tried to keep still. She didn't want to accidently infuriate him to the point he attacked her again.

After a while with no comment, the boy shifted backward and sighed. "You really are pathetic. That's why they coddle you so much."

His words were harsh and yet true. Yuki had observed how Nia took care of her. She never attempted to seriously question her cousin. She just accepted Nia's wayward answers or smiles, thinking it was natural. Nia was the bigger sister and Yuki was the smaller one.

"Pity."

The word made her eyes open.

"That's the feeling you kindle."

"No."

"Yes. Nia's need to shield you, I get it."

"No."

"Pity." He didn't care when she denied his claim. He left her in the hallway feeling like the name he called her. Idiot.

She wasn't aware of how long she stood in front of the bedroom door. When Kaien came to check on her, she was lost in her thoughts. Nia disappeared. Kaname took her. Kaien lied to her and Zero hated her. What the heck was going on?

Tears burst from her eyes.

"Yuki?" her father asked her out of concern.

His voice faded. Instead, she huddled to the floor. Wrapping arms around her legs, she buried her face in her legs. The whole world was falling apart around her and she didn't know what to do make things right. All she could do was cry.

OoO

"Yuki," a feminine and familiar voice whispered to her.

She opened her eyes to see her cousin's beautiful smiling face. Yuki instantly sat up on the bed and threw her arms around the white-haired girl. "Nia!" she cried out.

"Yuki," the girl said her name.

"They said you're..."

"You don't have to tell me," the other girl crooned to her. "I'm here for now."

"For now..." Yuki moved back. She frowned at Nia, not liking the last part of her sentence.

"Yuki, you know there will come a time when I won't be around -."

"Stop, I don't want to hear anymore." The brunette child covered her ears with her hands. She saw Nia take a deep breath while glancing up at the ceiling.

Yuki lowered her head but was still smart to keep her fingers pressed tightly to her ears.

She felt light hands take a hold of her shoulders. The brunette raised her head, curious brown orbs looking at the one person who had been with her from the beginning -at least from what she recalled in her life. She saw her lips moved but couldn't make out the words. So many emotions flickered across her cousin's face. Sadness, determination and most importantly love. Those emotions were shown freely to her. Anyone else would have to pick those same feelings one by one.

Perhaps Yuki was selfish. Nia had given her love without asking for anything in return. She thought that being by her cousin's side was enough. But she had come to learn that though they were family, they had their differences. Nia, she noticed loved to read, to write, to listen to music. There were rare instances that Yuki caught her cousin dancing in the kitchen late at night while making tea.

Yuki, on the other hand, didn't like to read. She preferred to sit by the window and watch was going on outside. She loved music and would rather sing songs. She wasn't intelligent as Nia, but she knew enough to get by. She could cook and run fast as the only alethic ability thanks to her cousin who watched out for her. Dancing, however, was not her forte. But seeing Nia danced, she knew a secret of her cousin's.

Dragging air into her lungs, the brunette removed the hands from her ears.

"All right," she breathed. She would hear what the white-haired girl had to say. Yuki at least owed her that much.

"Yuki," Nia said before slightly shaking her head. A small smile displayed on her lips. "There's a reason for everything I do. Even my mistakes."

"Yeah, I know that," Yuki answered her.

"You don't get it."

"Then make me understand like how you do with everything else."

"I wish I can but this..." the white-haired girl motioned with her hands, "Is the type of thing you have to experience. You know the saying that seeing and doing are two different things?"

"Yeah," Yuki replied but not sure where her cousin was going with their conversation.

"I'm asking you to place your blind trust in me. I want you to know that everything I'm doing is for the sake of keeping you here."

"Nia, you're scaring me."

Tears glittered in her cousin's eyes. Yuki didn't like it one bit.

Nia shifted her hands to cup Yuki's face. Despite the sadness reflecting in her eyes, there was a hint of a smile tugging on her lips. "You're special, Yuki. There I said it."

Yuki just blinked at her. "You're special too."

Her cousin laughed. "Not like you."

"Nia."

"You see, everything in the future will revolve around you because of your specialness. The decisions that you make will impact deeply on the people that surround you."

Yuki put her hands on Nia's. "You're really scaring me now."

"They love you -Kaname-sama, Zero, and Kaien-sama. I love you too."

"I love you," the brunette said desperately. She pushed her cousin's hands away from her face and dragged the girl into a tight hug. "I love you so much."

"There will be a time I won't be around," her cousin said with a bitter tone. "That can't be helped."

"I don't want to hear anymore!"

Nia pulled away. She grabbed Yuki's cheeks and forced the brunette to look at her. "You need to hear this. I need you to be strong, Yuki. For me, for the both of us. If I'm not here anymore, grow stronger without me."

The child furiously shook her head. "You're not going anywhere!"

"You learned about the vampire society, you know the importance of bonds and blood."

"You're staying here!" Yuki shouted at the top of her lungs. Then she broke out of Nia's hold and embraced her harder than before, crying for all she was worth.

Nia didn't say anything else to her. Instead, she rocked them both back and forth. Their discussion was never brought up again in the future.

And yet for some reason Yuki woke up from sleep with that memory intact. That memory must have been a warning -things were going to change. Nia was trying to tell her the truth, but she had been blinded by happily ever after folktales -whatever changes happened, Nia was still going to be with her.

"What am I to do?" Yuki questioned to no one. "I'm not strong like you, Nia."

She could predict her cousin's reply. _"Then get stronger."_

But the question remained how could she improve at something if she didn't know where to begin.

OoO

Takuma Ichijo had left Kaname to do his pondering. The pureblood needed time to himself, especially after the meeting they had. Everything had finished with a success. The senate wouldn't go after the Vampire Hunter Association and vice versa. Kaname was off the hunting list and Nia's name wouldn't be mention by both sides. Her existence would remain a mystery. Kaien didn't have her in the new place the others were going to move into and Kaname would keep her in his care.

The situation should have come to a close but Takuma knew much better. Anything involving a pureblood's focus was going to spread a wildfire.

The guest -that was her title at the moment- slept most of the time. During her waking periods, she took care of herself without uttering a word. She simply pointed to items she needed or wrote them down in a notebook he gave her. Yet Takuma couldn't be a few inches within her personal space.

The point of having her with them was to build her trust. However, the girl wasn't letting her guard down.

It seemed worse when the pureblood entered the room. The girl watched him like a cornered animal. Her back would be against the wall and she would make herself appear small. And then a thought struck him. Kaname must have done an inexcusable action for her to be frightened, yet despite her look, there a flash determination in her eyes. She was waiting for Kaname to strike again.

And Takuma found it harder to leave the girl he came to know as Nia. Providing her with items and being the only visitor besides Kaname she received, he grew to care for her well-being. He wanted her to smile and to say one word. He started to look for random excuses to keep her company.

The aristocrat shook his head. He didn't fully understand his logic. He was only following his feelings. Perhaps it was the loneliness of another vampire that pierced his heart. Looking at her was like seeing Senri. His friend had been isolated from the rest of his family. First his father abandoned him and his family, then his mother used him as a food bag and she wasn't mentally stable, and lastly, his family members were under the corruption of power. Senri was forced to be on his own.

He viewed the same isolation with Nia. Circumstances had put in her in a place, she was alone.

With a book under one arm, he moved to where the child was seated on the bed. Her eyes never shifted to him as he sat down on the single sofa chair that Kaname insisted to be left in the room at all times.

The white-haired girl sat crossed-legged, her hands lifelessly on her lap.

"Hi Nia-san," Takuma greeted her. "I tried to come in as soon as I had a chance."

She didn't stir.

"I brought you a little gift." He grabbed the book from under his arm to show it to her. "A volume of William Shakespeare's plays." Maybe there was a flicker in her dark eyes.

"I enjoyed reading 'The Tempest.' I wouldn't consider it dark like his other works. But there are some who think quite contrary to me. 'Romeo and Juliet' has been considered to be one of his most popular plays, although I didn't like the outcome." The noble vampire smiled goofily while scratching the back of his blond head. "I guess I am a sucker for happy endings."

The girl looked up at him and for once he saw light dancing in her eyes. He had gotten a reaction from her. Quickly, she averted her attention.

"Reading is a nice way of passing time. Perhaps you can write your opinion about 'The Tempest.' I've been searching for someone to have a conversation with but they're not interested in this play like the others."

He placed the thick book beside the girl.

"I apologize for not bringing tea with me this time. It's just I'm expecting an important family member to return from his business trip today." His grandfather was going to return soon. He had to keep him busy until Kaname had arrange another business affair for them to leave. Under any circumstance, his grandfather must not detect Nia's presence.

"I'm going to be with him for a while so I'm not coming back for the rest of the day. Of course, Seina will bring your meals."

Seina was a maid that he entrusted to take care of the girl in his and Kaname's absence.

"Uh, after 'The Tempest', another nice play to read is 'A Midnight Summer's Dream.' If all goes well we can watch the movies on TV." He was chatting away to kill time. Nia never responded. Instead her gaze remained on her motionless hands. While he conversed, a part of him wondered how long would she stay silent? There would come a point she would break.

Was that what Kaname was trying to do? Break her?

He did mention that she was complicated. Her quietness left no clue how to react. Since the pureblood had no time to get to know her, Takuma decided to do it for him.

Only, again, she reminded him so much of Senri. And being a sucker for happy endings, he found himself wanting to help her. Befriend her too.

"And if everything is fine, you can meet my other friends at Cross Academy." That comment made her head shot up. Eerily, her red eyes bore into his pale eyes. He blinked a couple of times. Accidently, the private educational institution, the secret Kaname entrusted him slipped out.

How did he not censor himself?

He inhaled a long breath while slightly slumping in his seat. "Please don't tell Kaname," he confessed. "It's suppose to be a secret."

She shifted a little closer to him. Her hand absently reaching his sleeve. Takuma gathered that the girl's action didn't register in her mind.

"I have to go," he said, making a random excuse to leave the room. Funny, he wanted a reaction from her and now that he got one, it wasn't what he expected.

Lightly, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Nia's fingers then curled into the fabric and didn't let him go.

"Nia-san."

She shook her head.

"I can't stay, really." He also discovered that he couldn't easily lie to her.

Again, her head moved side-to-side.

He looked up to the ceiling. Kaname was going to severely punish him.

As if seeing his defeat, the weight on his sleeve dropped. He heard little movement on the bed. Papers rustled. A note popped in front of him.

"Tell me more," he read out the child's cursive. "I can't."

The paper was pulled back. Again, more noise. A new word popped into his sight.

"Please. When you put it that way, what can I say?" He closed his eyes and put a hand to his forehead.

He couldn't reduce to the girl to begging. Besides, if she didn't talk to anyone, Kaname wouldn't know, right?

Takuma straightened up in his seat. He was clearly aware that he was betraying his friend's confidence. But seeing that she was going to find out about the new place later, he thought it best to prepare her. "Cross Academy is a private high school. It's the place where your father is going to be the headmaster and you'll be moving there along with us when we attend the school."

Her eyes widened.

"Yes," he said clearly, reading the shock in her eyes. "This private school will be a dorm for humans and vampires. This is the beginning to what Kaname-sama hopes to be a peaceful method for vampires and humans to co-exist. And now I can't say anymore." Takuma didn't like the burning feeling inside his chest.

Swiftly, he got up from his seat and was at the door to her bedroom. Without glancing back at her he said, "Please read the book." And then he was gone. He would take his time to visit her next time.

OoO

My location remained unknown. With the limited chats with Ichijo I learned little -the well-being of my family and the events after the attack on the Vampire Hunter Association- but these were the facts I gathered: Kaien wasn't going to save me and who knew the next time I would see Yuki and Zero?

I lifted my hand to the small window of my room. Despite the luxuries, I was not blinded by what I had become. A prisoner.

Kaname took me for a purpose. I guessed that role long ago. I was Yuki's shield.

My eyes closed as I pressed my forehead to the cool surface of the glass. I tried to keep sane. However, it was becoming a challenge. The temptation of opening the window and dangling my small body out in the cold as a means to escape sounded great.

Besides my desire to escape, I lost count of the days being trapped in a bedroom. The bathroom was the only other room that was adjoined to my prison.

"Yuki," I whispered her name. Her existence kept me centered -I had to survive for her sake.

But being in the same room every day with having too much time on my hands, it was so hard for me not to lose myself.

And there was Kaname's special visits. Those times when I had to...

 _Think about something else._

The glass fogged up at the release of my breath. I hoped with all my heart my cousin was okay. Her time with Zero must be unpleasant. My lips cracked into a shaky smile.

What would she say if she saw the snow falling outside right now?

"Nia, don't you remember that night we were saved? This night is like that one with the snow and all," I imagined her comment.

And I would respond, "I think you're overthinking things."

Again, I closed my eyes. Her voice sounded so real in my ears. I pictured her in my head, laughing. Her brown eyes sparkling while she pulled me to go somewhere with her.

 _Freedom_.

My fingers curled into a fist and I banged hard against the window. The pane cracked under the sudden pressure. I wasn't astonished by my strength. The moment Kaname came in for one of his regular visits, he was going to fix it. He always fixed whatever destruction I caused in the room.

He didn't want Ichijo or the maid to know what happened behind closed doors.

I felt a presence by the door. My body bristled.

 _Kaname_. I instinctively acknowledged. _His special visit._

Slowly, the door opened, the hinges remained quiet. Nails bit into my palms. Even with my back facing him, I could still see his reflection on the glass.

In my head, I began to chant. _I'm saving Yuki. I'll do anything to protect her._

But I couldn't stop the shaking in my limbs or the tears that suddenly slipped from my eyes.

Hatred at myself surged in me for displaying a weakness. I needed to protect Yuki and yet I could feel the stirrings of fear. Where I was once wary of the pureblood, I realized I was dead wrong. This Kaname was not like the one in the anime. No, he was different. Or perhaps, this was a side of him that was never properly portrayed.

"Good night Nia," he began.

More tears slipped from my eyes. I shut them so I didn't have to see him.

The door shut causing my body to wince and the air to chill in my lungs.

He walked closer to me, the atmosphere intensifying with each closing step.

For a second, my lips parted, a brief sound escaping. Then I slammed my lips together.

Nails digging harshly into my skin, I turned to face the pureblood.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Would I ever be ready?

 _No_.

I opened my eyes to see blood spilling from his wrist.

Refusing to look up at him, I bent toward his bleeding arm. My vision blurred as revulsion coursed through me. But by doing this action, taking his blood, I was not only saving Yuki. I was saving all of them.

 _Yuki, Zero, Kaien-sama, and..._

The price of becoming a weapon meant I had to give up my humanity.

* * *

 **A/N:** I deeply apologize for updating this late. I was hit with a major writer's block. In fact, I'm still under the influence. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter. Please, if you may, a penny for your thoughts.


	11. Chapter 10

Secrets, Nia and Yuki, they were.

They were concealed from the vampire society and even the human world.

And it was this fact that spurred Kaname to continuing with his plan but...

The pureblood watched the girl who slept fitfully in the large sized bed. Her white hair was a disarray. Her skin was hot and sweaty. Her harsh breathing filled the air.

At times he heard her voice sounded strangled. Sometimes, a name echoed in the room. "Amy."

He couldn't help but wonder who Amy was. He knew no one by that name.

Then, she would toss and turn, tangling the heaps of blankets around her. He took a cloth from a bowl of cool water, squeezed any excess liquid before placing it on the girl's forehead. Instantly, she stilled. He got another damp cloth and patted the sides of her face and throat.

Gingerly, he removed the material away and put his large hand on her throat. Pressing his forefinger and middle finger to the place of a pulse, he kept his fingers there. He could barely feel a beat as she struggled to breathe air into her lungs.

She was dying again. Her fragile human body couldn't withstand the toxin of his blood.

He removed his hand from her throat and looked away from the sickly girl.

Turning her into a pureblood was the last step he wanted to do. If he did, his plan would be exposed. Yuki would be in grave danger.

He glanced back at the child. Bringing up his hands to her face, he could feel the stirring of his power. He could keep her alive.

His hands hovered in the air. A feeling, one undefinable, was kindled. The pureblood let his arms drop. The air became controlled.

Approaching footsteps alerted him that he and his guest were about to be disturbed. On a whim, he could prevent the person from entering the room as he did in the past. However, he needed a little distraction.

The figure halted beyond the door before the doorknob slowly turned. Kaname watched the door open to reveal the one friend he trusted the most.

"Kaname." Green eyes flickered between him and the sickly girl. Then, his friend was moving quickly to the ill child.

On the pureblood's command, the bedroom door shut.

Ichijo didn't wince. "What happened to her?" Clearly, he was more focused on Nia.

"My blood," Kaname answered.

Ichijo gently touched Nia's cheek. "How long has this been happening?"

"Since she's been staying with us."

Kaname heard his friend's intake of breath. "Why didn't I notice?"

"I hid the signs."

"Kaname, this is serious."

"I know."

"She's dying." The aristocrat turned to look at him with a stricken expression on his face.

For the first time, the pureblood's calm demeanor cracked. He grimaced. "I know."

"Aren't you going to save her?" The question sounded easy to answer. Kaname had the power to keep her alive. Only, saving her -it would completely bind her to him.

"I can," he revealed.

He shut his eyes, remembering the fear and revulsion the little girl felt before she took his blood. He wasn't forcing her to take what she needed from him so that her body could transform to that of a vampire hunter. Beneath her turmoil, he felt her determination which was why he couldn't...

"Then what are you waiting for? Save her."

The pureblood shook his head.

"What?"

A calm overtook him with his decision.

"You can't be serious?" His friend sounded shocked.

Kaname answered his friend with silence.

"All those times you saved her, why are you letting her die now?"

Kaname's hand reached for the cloth in the bowl of water.

"I don't... Sometimes I get you and sometimes I don't."

He twisted the wet material until the drips of water lessened into the bowl. He placed the cool material against the girl's fevered skin. His quietness would be misplaced. One would think that he was callous and cruel but his action was hiding his truth intent.

In the past, he saved Nia because she needed to be saved.

This time was different.

He was giving her the chance to save herself.

If Nia wanted to live, she would have to fight her own sickness.

"Please accompany your grandfather to Aido's estate," Kaname politely asked.

"For what reason?"

'The invitations to Cross Academy must be sent out."

Ichijo hesitated.

"Please," the pureblood added again.

"Yes, Kaname-sama." Ichijo deliberately said his name with the honorific to remind them of their status; the difference between pureblood and nobility. He gave no response as he continued to take care of the sick girl.

Quietly, as not to awaken Nia, the aristocrat got up from beside the bed and exited the room.

OoO

They were alone again. Kaname inhaled a deep breath. He wasn't one to show emotions but with Nia in her current condition, one would have to be a monster not to care. The girl endured many hardships.

"I wanted you and Yuki to live happily a few more years," he confessed as he watched her still form. The ragged breathing in the room was the only sign that gave away she was alive.

"To live freely." He picked up a few strands of her white hair. In the light, he noticed pink in her hair color too. It was unusual to have pink hair since the Hio family were considered to be fair in skin, hair and eye color. But Nia was also the daughter of Rido. She would carry some of his physical traits. Yet the Kuran family never had pink in their hair either.

He shook his head to rid himself of inane thoughts. "But matters have escalated since you're in this condition." He rubbed the strands in between his fingers, taking in the silkiness. "My blood can sustain you for only a period of time. Everything else is up to you."

Her hair fell from his hand. Kaname's eyes shifted from her to the thick book on the nightstand. Ichijo mentioned giving her a volume of Shakespeare's plays to read. His hand touched the surface of the hardcover. His lips lifted upward fleetingly.

"Ichijo has you reading 'The Tempest.' He's been pestering me to like the play. I don't have a favorite but Yuki likes 'Romeo and Juliet.' She says the play reminds of her of a fairy tale but with a tragic ending."

He returned to wetting one cloth and laying it over the child's forehead. "I prefer her to think of fairy tales with happy endings. Takuma would be happy if he heard me say that." He looked up to the ceiling, mulling his next words. "It's impossible. Yuki and you know about my kind, therefore, I cannot let either of you go. But at the same time Nia, you and Yuki have the right to choose the lives you both want to live."

He leaned back in his chair, resting his arms on the armrests. His eyes went back to her. "I want both of you to have a fairy tale life. Especially Yuki. She's precious. She lost so much in one night and has no memory of what occurred."

The pureblood leaned forward in his chair. One hand reached out to touch the girl's hair. "You are the only person she can connect with, the one who understands her best of all. You are family."

He lowered his head, his eyes closing as he pressed his forehead to her wet one. "Live. Please." Opening his eyes, he gently took the damp cloth from her temple. His fingers brushed some of the damp hair from her brow. "Live."

Laying in a deep slumber, his words went unheeded. In the end, her survival depended on her will to live. Hopefully, she would decide to stay with Yuki and him.

OoO

The silver-headed boy had been observing the brunette for the past two weeks since they moved into a new home on the school campus ground, Cross Academy. Yuki wasn't herself. Zero had to be the one to take care of her meanwhile Kaien wasn't home, claiming that he had numerous paperwork to read and sign and he had to oversee the applicants applying to the private school.

During those times they were alone, he found her often in the kitchen at night with a cup of tea cradled in her hands while she stared emptily at the window.

Other times he did the chores while she locked herself in her room. In a sense, she became like Nia -talking when necessary. She rarely smiled.

Zero wanted her to be aware of her surroundings. Her cheery attitude and naivety annoyed him to no end, but with Nia's disappearance she appeared more like a doll. Yuki's clothes were mismatched, her long hair in tangles, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

Even now, Kaien had to brush her dark hair and instruct her what to wear.

"You must use gentle words to her," Kaien admonished him, choosing to express himself when the brunette left the living room to change her clothes.

"Why?" the silver-headed boy asked.

"Because Yuki has a tender heart."

"So you're afraid I'm going to break her heart?"

"No." The man's head moved side-to-side. "Her heart is already broken."

"Then what?"

"Do you understand Nia's and her relationship?"

"They're cousins."

Kaien laughed lightly while slightly shaking his head.

Zero was getting irritated by his ex-master's lack of seriousness. "What is it then?"

"When Kaname-san first found the girls, they were alone. They were wandering around with no clue as to how they got there."

"And..." Zero didn't want to sound heartless. It was just that Nia had revealed some of her past to him.

"They faced something traumatic that can lead to dissociative amnesia."

The silver-headed boy blinked his eyes. "Are you saying both girls have amnesia?"

The ash blond man's face turned grim. "Yes."

Zero was speechless.

"After the incident, both girls relied on each other to cope with having no past. Yuki had it the hardest because she couldn't remember anything. Nia was her rock. So please understand that Yuki will be fragile now that Nia isn't here with us."

She wasn't the only one. Nia promised him to return and she hadn't kept it. "Why does that bastard pureblood have Nia?"

"Because he's the only one who can save her."

His eyes widened. "Is he turning her into a vampire?" If that pureblood nitwit turned Nia into a vampire, he was going to kill him.

"No."

"Then..." His eyes almost bulged as his mind registered the rest of the information. "No." He shook his head at the possibility. The stories of humans changing into vampire hunters were rare. Vampire hunters were born, not physically turned. The death rate of such a transformation was numerically high. "He's going to kill her."

He felt hard hands biting into his shoulders. "He won't."

"He will," Zero insisted.

"Nia is special. She won't die."

The boy looked at the former vampire hunter with astonishment. "Did you forget she already died?"

"She did and she returned to us."

Zero forcefully removed the hands on his shoulders. "Her life is not a game."

"I don't care," another voice pitched in. Both males averted their attention to the girl in the living room. They had forgotten to keep down their tones. "I don't care if she comes back as a vampire. I just want her safely back here."

"And what about her happiness?" Zero asked her.

"She'll be happy," the brunette affirmed.

"Are you sure about that?"

"You don't know Nia the way I do. She's a fighter."

Zero stared intently at the girl before him. For the first time in a while he saw some spark in her chocolate eyes. "For her sake, I hope you're right."

Since learning more about Yuki's background, he left the current occupants in the living room. It was time for him to shut them out.

OoO

The snow seemed to gently float around them -Zero noted. He and Yuki were standing outside their new home. A simple gray-bricked building unlike the house they lived in before. In the distance, his vampire senses made out the sounds of shoes crunching the snow and voices. Kaien warned him students would be filing into school so not to be alarmed.

Even in the distance, he could see the educational institution -a brown brick building. One day he and Yuki would be attending it as students.

Glancing at the brunette who seemed to lose herself in the wintry wonderland, he noticed she gave into that far off gaze whenever the snow fell at Cross Academy.

He didn't mind though. As long as she remained quiet, her presence was tolerable.

But there was one thing that nagged him.

Trying not to grit his teeth, he walked over to the lost girl.

"Yuki," he said her name as he paused beside her.

She didn't respond.

She reminded him of a doll. Lifeless.

"Yuki," he said again, only this time he put a hand on her shoulder.

She gasped at his touch, her eyes blinking several times before focusing in on him.

Instantly, he removed his hand from her shoulder. "Not that I care but I'm kind curious about something."

She stared at him, tilting her head at an angle to read his facial expression.

He just shook his head. "Never mind."

Nia's silence was understandable but Yuki, he couldn't put his finger on it. Perhaps her features -the brown eyes, the mocha hair, and the pretty features on her face- reminded him too much of the one who was responsible for killing his family.

Yet she was human and the one who killed his family was a pureblood vampire.

His head moved a negative manner. He was about to move away from the brunette when she caught the end of his black coat.

"Use your words Yuki," he told her as though she was a three-year old child.

She shook her head.

He exhaled a long breath, trying to keep his patience in check.

"Yuki."

She blinked at him. Biting her lip, she released air. The smoke -caused by the heat touching the cold air- drifted toward him, making him catch himself. He was standing too close to her for comfort. He jumped back, creating distance between them.

"You don't like it when I talk to you," she said all of a sudden.

It was his turn to blink. "What? What gave you that idea?"

She gave him a pointed look and then went back to staring at the snow. "You can't trick me."

He verbally let her know his feelings for her but perhaps he underestimated how smart she could be. At least she was being frank.

"All right," he conceded. "Let's put that aside."

"Can you really put your feelings aside?" she asked him, astonishing him again.

"For now, yes."

She smiled, but it was a bitter one. "So you only do it when you're gaining something. I get it."

He frowned. "What do you mean-."

"Just ask what you want to know," she interrupted him.

He didn't know what brought out the new attitude in her, but it was like putting on a light bulb. And dared he say, he was liking this bold side of Yuki. Not the simpering, all smiley, people-pleasing Yuki.

A smile lifted on his boyish looking face, only he was directing it at the snow and not at her. Not that she would care anyway. "If you had to choose between your pureblood boyfriend or Nia, who would you choose?"

She sighed. "He's not my boyfriend."

"But you have a crush on him."

What she did next, caught him more off guard. She folded her arms over her chest. Her facial features tightened on her face. "I'm mad at him."

She didn't deny her feelings for him yet she stated how she felt about him. That was what he wanted, but he didn't feel satisfied.

"You still didn't answer my question," he said with an annoyed tone.

"Do you really have to ask me that?" She looked skyward. "You should know my answer."

Disappointed, his head moved in a negative manner. "I should have guessed."

He took a step away from, wanting to get away from her when she exhaled. "You think that low of me?"

Zero shoved his hands into his jeans' pockets. He couldn't look at the brunette behind him.

"You're thinking I chose Kaname-sam... Kaname-san."

The change in honorific caused him to still.

The brunette spoke, but her tone cracked. "He... he may have saved my life but it was Nia who threw herself in front of a vampire for me. It was Nia who stayed with me when I needed her and who taught me everything I know. Nia... she's my only family."

Her words made him stagger. He always thought that she considered Kaien as family, seeing how she openly called him dad. But she was like him. She knew who her real family was.

"And I'm disappointed you would think I choose him over her." Yuki -this time- was the one to walk away from him.

Besides, he didn't know how to respond to her. He made himself look like a fool. A heavy feeling pressed down against his chest and he frowned at it. Was he feeling guilty?

He looked at the trail Yuki left behind and he found himself following after her. Yes, he deeply did underestimate her.

OoO

"Sis," Amy's voice called to me. "Aren't you happy?"

"I... I wish I can say I am," I whispered back to my little sister. We were in a white room with everything being white, except for her. She wasn't like the one in my dream, the grown-up woman with a family of her own.

She was exactly how I remembered right before my accident.

"Why can't you be happy?" she asked me.

"Because of where I am and how I got to be there. It's not about me."

My sister laughed.

"What?"

"You haven't change."

"I'm not good with changes."

My little sister shook her head and I watched fondly as her long ponytail swayed with the motion. Amy always loved to tie her hair into a ponytail. "You're wrong. When mom and dad worked long hours and you were the one to take care of me, you made so many changes in your lifestyle just to be there for me."

"That was nothing."

"That's more than anyone can do for me, which is why I want you to be happy."

I looked at her, my little baby sister. She wasn't just my sister, she was my best friend. "Your happiness is my happiness," I said to her.

She hugged me. "I'm very happy."

"Then I'm glad," I said pulling away.

"Why is it you can't be happy where you are?"

"My life is about someone else."

She frowned at me.

I laughed a little. "I have a cousin who reminds me of you in some aspects."

"Really?"

I slightly shook my head. "I want her to be happy like you."

"I bet she is."

"No, I'm a disappointment."

My sister hugged me. "You're not," she reassured me. "Knowing you, she's elated to have you in her life."

"But that's the problem." I felt my voice cracked. "I'm not there."

Amy retreated from me. "I'm stopping you, right?"

"No."

"Yes."

"No." Tears fell from my eyes.

"Please let me go."

"I..."

"She needs you, sis."

"I need you!" I burst out.

My sister started backing away from me. "Where are you going?"

"You have to go back."

"No!" My head moved furiously side-to-side. I didn't want to lose her again. "You're my only regret."

"But you're not for me."

I closed my eyes.

"Please live."

More tears trailed down my cheeks.

"Be there for her like you were there for me. And know that I'll always be with you, Naomi."

My eyes shot open. Naomi Cooke. How did I forget my name?

I opened my mouth to ask her more question but her smile turned sad.

"Don't go," I said while trying to run to her.

"Live." She was fading with the room.

And then my eyes opened and instantly I sat up on a bed. My breathing was harsh like I had run a marathon. Sweat dripped down my face, falling into my eyes. I blinked many times before my vision cleared. Within my sight was the last person I wanted to see.

Kaname.

He wasn't staring -a handsome face devoid of emotion- at me. He was smiling, his wine eyes glittering.

"Nia," he said. His voice was calm like most of the time.

I swallowed while my hands pressed flat against the mattress on either side of me. I readied myself for anything. But his next words baffled me. "Welcome back."

OoO

Time passed at Cross Academy. By then Zero and Yuki had become used to the silence between them. They established a routine during family time -Kaien liked to call it- where he would read a book on the couch while Yuki served tea to Kaien and him. Then she would sit down and have a conversation with her father figure. She didn't bother to include him since he kept his answers terse.

This night they were discussing an important matter. Zero didn't bother to listen all that much. Some words "establish, Night Class, and school" drifted by his ears. The rest of their speaking were blah, blah, blah.

He was about to turn the page when he heard "No, it's not for advanced grades nor is it for university classes. They will be studying all night and in return for having study high level materials, there will be no age limits."

Zero's finger paused. Part of his attention turned to Kaien's and Yuki's talk.

"Because these nocturnal beings live much more longer than we do."

"Nocturnal." That term could only refer to a creature that appeared human but was nothing like one. He raised his head, his pale eyes landing on the ex-vampire hunter.

"Because everyone in the Night Class are vampires," the ash blond man finished. Zero's eyes widened from the news.

Was Kaien crazy for letting vampires into a human school?

Not one to sit idly, the silver-headed boy rose from the couch, dropping the book on the floor. His hands balled into fists. "What are you planning on doing when you let those things in here?"

He was barely shaking with rage when someone else joined their conversation. "We are aiming for a peaceful coexistence of vampires and humans."

He and Yuki looked to see the pureblood vampire casually leaning against the doorframe. One long arm crossed his chest, the other arm was limp at his side. The thing he abhorred grew taller from the last time he saw him.

"Kuran," he said, letting his hatred pour into his tone.

"Kana-" he heard the girl whispered beside him but she didn't finished.

Turning his head toward her, he noticed her face was schooled into a mask of calm. She didn't run to him either.

Whipping his head to the pureblood, a perplexed expression flickered across the vampire's face before returning to normal. "Good evening." He directed his greeting toward everyone in the room, when clearly, he was not welcomed by anyone.

The silver-headed boy shook his head. "You're being ridiculous. Vampires and humans coexisting? There's clearly some motive here. Why else would vampires want to attend Cross Academy?"

Zero turned his head to look at the creature he despised. "Especially the bloody history between the two."

"I want to put an end to that," the ash blond man replied. His spectacles glinted from the ceiling lights. "Just like you, I lost someone too."

The boy shook his head. "Are you hearing yourself?"

His words went unheard. "Kuran-san will be in the Night Class and so the other vampires will be orderly."

Did Kaien forget he took Nia from them?

Zero voiced his opinion freely. "He took Nia from us." Saying Nia's name made the occupants in the room tense. "Now he's taking a part of the school. What else will he take? And if he betrays us, which he has partially done, this will be all over."

He glared daggers at the pureblood before pivoting on his feet to leave the room. Another shocker came with Yuki's next question. "Where is Nia?"

Kaname was quiet.

"Where's Nia?" she asked with more force in her voice.

"Yuki," the pureblood said after some time.

"No, don't bother. I don't know why I tried asking."

Zero's back faced them but he heard footsteps heading in his direction.

"Yuki."

"Don't talk to me if it has nothing to do with Nia."

Then she briskly walked past him, taking him again by surprise. Her long brunette hair disappeared at the corner of the hall before he heard a door slamming shut.

"Well, that didn't go well," Kaien pointed out.

The pureblood vampire exhaled.

A smile tugged on Zero's lips. Yuki did keep true to her words. She chose Nia over Kaname. He went into his room, a new sense of admiration for the brunette girl growing on him.

OoO

Still there was no word about Nia. The brunette girl couldn't help but worry over her sister like sibling. One fact she knew was wherever Kaname was, Nia would be there too. It meant that Nia was somewhere on the school campus.

Recently, Kaien allowed her to explore the school grounds. She tricked him by saying she would like to get know the place that she would someday attend school. She did feel a little guilty for lying to him but she did it for a reason. If no one was going to give her an update about Nia, she was going to find out for herself.

The only drawback was wherever she went on the school grounds, she had to have Zero accompanying her.

Sighing, she looked off into the distance to see one of the school dormitories have their lights on late into the night. She frowned. "I thought the dormitory for faculty members wasn't being used right now," she voiced her thoughts.

Zero, who had stopped walking, glanced at where she was looking.

"They say it's a temporary dormitory used for those who are taking the entrance exam, or making the oath. It's for vampires."

Yuki's eyes rounded before she averted her attention from both the dormitory and the silver-headed boy. Perhaps, Nia might be in there.

As if Zero read her mind, he said, "Don't go near their lair."

"I wasn't planning too," she denied. Quickly, she turned to him. Zero walked away from her.

Keeping his back to her, he simply waited for her to reach him. His hands shoved casually in his pockets. Even dressed in a black sweater, navy blue jeans and boots Zero looked like a human. No one would have guessed he was a vampire.

 _He talks about vampires like they're bad. He seems to forget he's one too_ , she mentally considered.

She took a step in his direction and paused. Her teeth biting her bottom lip.

"What is it?"

She wanted to ask him if her cousin was in the same dormitory with the other vampires.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Her eyes widened, and she gasped. Did he have an idea what she was planning?

"The last thing you want is have vampires here because your lip is bleeding?"

Mouth gaping, she blinked. He knew she was biting her lip although he wasn't looking at her?

"Close your mouth too."

"Oooh," she fumed while her hands balled into fists. He slightly pivoted on his feet. She got a good view of his profile although it was dark outside. But her eyes widened more at the expression on his face. Zero was not one to smile easily. Nia was the only person to witness the tilt on his lips, yet he was smiling at her.

She blinked, thinking her mind was playing tricks on her.

"Come on," he motioned with his eyes. He turned away from her and Yuki found herself following him. One question was certainly bothering her. Was Zero beginning to open up to her?

OoO

The only time the little child could sneak out of the house was during dawn. The silver-headed boy liked to sleep early so he could wake up early in the evening to patrol the grounds and her father was kept at school doing administrative duties.

No one would know if she went missing.

Donning a pair of baggy black jeans, a black sweater and one of Nia's dark gray sneakers, she nodded at her reflection in the mirror. If she and Kaname were still on talking terms, she would've dressed in a fancy dress with nice shoes and a coat. But no, he had to be stubborn. Well, she was going to find Nia without him.

She nodded again at herself. She brought up closed fists. "I got this."

She glanced at the coat on the rack by the front door. "Nah," she said. "I won't need it. The sun will bring warmth."

Yuki decided that if she entered the dormitory during dawn most of the vampires will be asleep, giving her a better chance to search the place. Kaname had once confessed to her that vampires slept deeply, especially if the sun came out. He said something about the sun draining their powers. The higher the sun was in the sky, the more power it took to keep them awake.

It also meant that he would be extra sensitive to sunlight than the other vampires.

Her smile grew bigger on her face.

Opening and closing the door, she headed to the main pathway that led to the faculty dormitory. A breeze past her causing her long hair to blow in front of her face. She pulled the long brunette tresses with her hand, wincing a little in pain. Maybe she should cut her hair. Holding some of her hair, she squinted at the ends. Nia kept her hair short because she claimed it was easier to manage. Yuki kept her hair long for Kaname.

Shaking her head, she let go of her hair. Her chocolate eyes narrowed.

She walked with more determination until the building came into sight. The lamps outside were still lit. Carefully and quietly like a ninja, Yuki crept up the stairs. Two massive wooden doors blocked her from getting into the dorm. Slowly extending her hand to the door, she recoiled when the hinges groaned. Her heart began to thump loudly in her ears.

 _Let them be asleep_ , she mentally chanted. _Let them be asleep. Let them be sleeping, please._

She peered through the space of the door to see a beautifully tall blond boy with stacks of papers cradled in his arms.

He glimpsed her. "Oh, it's Yuki-chan."

She blanched. There went her idea of sneaking around in the dormitory.

"Did you come to see Kaname?" He smiled pleasantly at her. "But that's too bad. He's out right now."

Her face became normal and she blinked at him. Didn't she see him before? He was really pretty in a boyish way with his blond hair and green eyes. She blinked again. Unconsciously her hand lifted to her throat.

He eyed her reaction but smiled enchantingly at her.

"Do you know me?" she asked.

"Yup," he responded.

Perhaps he saw the questioning look in her eyes. "I've lived with Kaname and so I used to drop him off at your house often. I've always watched you from the car when you hugged Kaname tightly. Also we met the day your father retired being a vampire hunter."

He moved in on her, walking hastily that she couldn't keep up with him. She backed up until she was outside, the cool air brushed against her, making her shiver. His hand shot out, and she flinched. She exhaled a breath when his fingers closed over the doorknob. His facial expression turned into a friendly one. "Well, Yuki-chan, you should go home and sleep. Even though you're on campus, don't be walking around at night."

"You mean morning," she corrected him, getting out of her shock.

He glanced up at the sky. His green eyes glittering like jewels. "Technically, it's still night since the sun hasn't come out."

Then he looked down at her, reminding her he wasn't human. "Good night." He closed the door.

Yuki let out a long breath before she sat on the steps. That was a close call. If she waited a little bit longer, they would go to sleep, right?

She laced her fingers, wiggled her thumbs all while doubts began to plague her. Her plan, perhaps it was dumb. She couldn't trick vampires. Certainly, looking at the tall blond vampire, she could tell he was in a different league than Zero. Zero was once human.

The blond vampire had been born a creature of the night.

He was a predator.

And he was very different from Kaname.

She closed her eyes and laid her head on the next step. Her arms cushioned her head. The sun was rising and the vampires would go to sleep. She was safer outside than inside the dorm.

She let her mind drift, not realizing she was falling asleep.

Both girls were laying in the grass of their previous home. Nia's arms were folded behind her head while Yuki's head was on her stomach. Both girls were giggling while they looked into a clear blue sky. It was one of those rare warm summery days with no cloud floating in the sky.

"Nia, do you prefer the clear and summery days or the cold and snowy nights?" Yuki suddenly asked her.

The atmosphere quieted as the brunette waited for her cousin's answer.

"Why do you ask?" Nia finally questioned her.

"Oh, I don't know." Yuki sat up. Lifting a leg and rearranging her yellow dress, she placed a hand on her knee. Her forehead touched the both of them. The heat from the day felt warm on her bare legs, arms and face. "It's just... I prefer these hot days. They seem so peaceful."

The white-haired girl laughed, making Yuki glance at her. "Now, who sounds like an old lady?"

"Hey! That's your role!" The brunette joined in her laughter too.

When their laughter subsided, Yuki watched the unusually clear sky. "These types of days are the best."

Nia sat up, making the brunette shift her attention on her. "The days are what you make them to be."

"Hmm..."

"The cold and snowy day, the first time we met, that was the best day for me."

Yuki's eyes widened on Nia. "No, we met a Level E vampire."

"Don't worry, I protected you," Nia said. She ruffled the girl's hair all while smiling.

She slapped her hand out the way. "You got hurt."

"And Kaname-sama saved us. Can you imagine our world if he didn't save us?"

Yuki never liked to think what would have happened if they were left alone.

"You would have survived, Yuki," Nia said. At times Nia had a way of astonishing her.

"No." The girl hugged her cousin. "Not without you."

"Yes," Nia whispered against the girl's dark hair. She wrapped her arms around her cousin who became like a sister to her. "Because you're my good luck charm I can live."

"No." Yuki pulled back but she kept her arms on Nia's shoulders. "I would've died."

"You are a blessing, Yuki. The world revolves around you," the white-haired girl said. It was during times she talked nonsense, the brunette girl just let her ramble. There was one clear message, both girls couldn't do without one another.

OoO

Staying up at night was becoming a regular routine for me, although I wasn't a vampire. It must have been Kaname's blood.

My eyes shifted to the bedroom door and I placed the book Takuma gave to me on my lap.

The door opened and blond hair along with one green eye peered at me by the door's edge. "Nia-chan, can I come in?"

After the setback with the pureblood flowing through my veins, Takuma added the chan after my name. Who was I to stop him? The way he said my name sounded adorable.

I nodded.

Getting all excited over a response, he skipped into the room and sat on the chair across from me.

I couldn't help but smile at his reaction. It was so easy for me to forget that he was a vampire.

"How's the book? Did you get up to 'The Tempest' yet?" he asked all enthusiastically.

I shook my head.

"Where are you up to?"

I opened to the page I last left off. He easily took the hardcover and glimpsed the page. "Ah, Macbeth."

I nodded.

"Ah, revenge. That's what the story is about. It's not one of my favorites."

It wasn't mine either. What was the point in getting revenge when everything ends in tragedy?

He put down the book on my bed. "I got it!" He clapped his hands, almost making me jump out of my seat. "How about we play a game of chess?"

I deflated. I always lose against him. I could only imagine playing against Kaname.

"Aw, come on. It's going to be fun. Besides, how are you going to get better if you don't practice?"

He had a good point. If I didn't practice fighting against Seiren, Kaname's bodyguard, nightly I wouldn't be able to dodge oncoming strikes, keep up in hand-to-hand combat and hit the bull's eye with darts. Eventually, I would learn to shoot from a gun. As it was, my nightly combat actives made me extremely tired. The worst part was training with Kaname. He was showing me how to restrain my power but the way he did it, being all quiet and distant, it just made me frustrated.

Fortunately, I had the night off. Kaname had one of his business trips and Seiren went with him.

The taps of chess pieces put in front of me broke my concentration. "What color will you like, black or white?"

I point to the black pawn in front of the king.

"Interesting," he said while raising his eyebrows. "Do you choose black so you can observe my play?"

He got me. It was alarming how he learned my reactions after spending some short time with me. When I woke up from he what he called "a sleeping beauty state" he spent a lot of his free time with me. I knew he was keeping a close eye on me. Perhaps he was protecting me from the other vampires because one night the beautiful Ruka barged in on me with the intent to hurt me. She felt I was a threat since I held Kaname's interest. I wondered what she would think of Yuki.

"Nia-chan. It's your turn."

My eyes flickered to the board. Takuma brought out his knight.

I did the same.

"Are you going to mimic my moves, Nia-chan?"

I bobbed my head.

"That's not nice."

I pointed to him and then the board.

"Well, playing a game is a great way of passing time until you decide to go to bed."

I point to the door.

He put a hand to his chest and feigned being hurt.

"You wound me."

Both sides of my lips curled upward on my face.

"And there we have it, a radiant smile."

My head moved side-to-side. He definitely could be charming. Perhaps Kaname could learn a thing or two from him.

Takuma brought up his wrist and his eyebrows tugged together when he looked at his watch. "Ah, I should get going. Kaname-sama should be back by now."

He rose from his seat and gathered the chess pieces. Putting them in a slot under the board, I watch him moved the table with the game with ease. Sometimes, he would play against Kaname and when he did he lost. But Kaname was truly an expert at the game. In a few moves, he would checkmate Takuma. Whereas the aristocrat put a lot of thought into his moves, Kaname simply moved right after.

The pureblood seemed to do everything with ease.

There was only one person who could beat him.

Yuki.

"Okay, I will be seeing you later on tonight." He paused on his way out and scratched his head. "I wonder if that little girl went home."

Little girl. My head shot up. My red eyes darted to the window.

The door closed firmly, locking me inside the bedroom. I rose to my feet and I rushed to the window. Placing my hands on the windowpane, I squinted to see through the darkness. The glare from the lamps ruined my sight.

The little girl couldn't be Yuki. But if it was, then she would witness something terrible that changed her relationship with Kaname forever. I couldn't let that happen. Kaname was the key to Yuki's survival.

Turning to the door, I walked in front it. I raised my hands in front of my face. Wiggling my fingers, rotating my wrists, I dropped my hands to my sides. Then I shook out my arms and legs, testing the muscles in my limbs. I was still learning my strengths and my weaknesses considering I wasn't a normal human.

The time to put what I learned to the test would begin now.

"Here I come, Yuki."

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading. Season 1, episode 7 is giving me inspiration to continue this story and find closure for Nia's, Yuki's, Zero's and in a sense Kaname's childhood. I'm drafting out the next chapter to be the finale. And then there's a question to continue onward when they're attending Cross Academy.

I really don't want to stop writing this story, especially since this story is one I can clearly envision and I'm trying my best to write it differently from other authors who are writing self-insert fanfiction or with original characters. But there are some accusations of plagiarism among other greatly written stories and well, I hope this story does not become one as well.

For now, I will definitely continue writing this fanfiction on Wattpad under Perseverance-n. Thank you once again for your support and for your feedback. Comments are most welcomed.


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N:** I've been in a writing frenzy lately, so I'm trying to produce well written work with a deadline. Just in case you do read my other stories, I've been writing multi-fandom (trying to) and have been posting them one after the other before school begins. Please note that some stories, especially this one might take some time to be updated again.

 **Important note:** An anonymous reviewer mentioned an important fact that had me rethinking my decision of stopping my future updates. _**This story will be continued.**_ I will like to apologize for my previous update. Some personal conflicts had me feeling blue and I lost myself in my writing. I'm sorry.

Also, this is the first part of the last chapter for Yuki, Zero, and Nia's childhood. Overall, the chapter is too long to post and I feel I might lose you if I post it all right away.

Thank you and enjoy.

* * *

The early morning stirred cool winds. Although properly dressed, the pureblood vampire buttoned his coat and secured the scarf tightly around his neck. He wasn't like humans -they could get sick from the cold- but he could feel the coldness seeping through his light wear.

He visited the headmaster to figure out the semester for the Night Class. They didn't acquire many teachers as yet to teach all the academic subjects. Kaien was picky about the teachers. He searched for vampire teachers to teach the semester, only not all of them supported their pacifism- the coexistence of humans and vampires.

He believed it had to do with Vampire Council's influence. They didn't see eye-to-eye with everything.

"I still can't comprehend," Ichijo's grandfather expressed his thoughts. "Cross Academy is a high school for humans as well as vampires."

Kaname remained silent as he listened to the head of the Vampire Council.

"But the identities of vampires will be a secret, right? What's the point?"

"We live in a human society. To understand them, we have to think and act like them. What better way to live beside them instead of living in the shadows?" Kaname questioned.

The aristocrat put a hand under his chin. "You have a point."

"It begins with a simple school, which will expand in the future -putting more of our influence in human society. Furthermore, I will be attending the school as a student and will be in charge of the Night Class. Any others who wish to attend Cross Academy will be welcomed."

"Well, when you put it that way, who am I to refuse your proposal?" Asato, Takuma's grandfather, nodded his head, a slight smirk displayed on his face.

Their conversation had been light at the time. The pureblood vampire needed the support from the Vampire Council to arrange a group of willing vampires to attend Cross Academy as students. With him in attendance, other noble vampires took his offer, gaining their support. Now, he was working on giving them a high school worthy of attending.

The temporary dormitory was within view but his keen wine eyes spotted a figure lying on the stairs. A female. One arm cradled her head, long brown tresses fell over her shoulder. She was dressed in a sweater, jeans and sneakers. There was nothing else protecting her from the cold. She was clearly shivering in her sleep.

Why was his precious girl here?

What was she thinking falling asleep out in the open?

Another figure dressed in the school uniform was heading toward the entrance. His focus was on the quivering form. Kaname's body blurred and instantly, he was beside the girl.

The other vampire, an aristocrat no less, stopped.

"I guess you still don't know the rules of the Night Class yet," he pinpointed the other student.

"I'm sorry. I'll try to remember," the student replied while bowing low to the pureblood.

Quickly, the other vampire rushed up the stairs into the dormitory. Kaname unbuttoned his coat and draped it on his beloved girl.

"That was too close for comfort," he murmured. She moved her head a little. Her action causing light smoke to puff from her lips. His dark eyes shifted to them. Her slight movement caused some strands of mocha hair to slip from her shoulder. His eyes zoomed to her neck.

Yuki, she was so small, vulnerable and beautiful. Only she could end his lonely existence.

Unknowingly, his hand reached out for her throat. His fingers parted her hair, giving him a better view.

One bite, just tasting her sweet blood, and she would be by his side forever.

His head lowered, his lips almost touching her throat. Not the smoke from his lips or her slight trembling could deter him.

His mouth opened. His fangs were exposed.

She was within his reach.

But she was sleeping.

He froze.

Yuki needed his protection, not for him to take advantage of her vulnerability.

Plus she was mad at him for taking her cousin away.

He shook his head. His lips closing and stretching across his face. "Oh Yuki, what you do to me."

His arms circled her protectively and he pressed her shivering form to him. Perhaps, he could take her into his room, cover her with a warm blanket and wait for her to wake up. Then she could tell him her reason for coming to the dorm.

She was reckless just like Nia.

He cradled her like the princess she was and went into the dorm.

OoO

Kaname took the time to explain what it meant to have his blood flowing through my veins. The gist was I wasn't a normal human. I was stronger, faster and my five senses heightened because of him. There might come some time I would thirst for his blood because my body needed his blood like fuel to a car.

Hearing him mention the word "thirst" caused me to involuntary shiver. Would I eventually become like him? A vampire?

And as a vampire, would I become like Zero? A Level D who would fall into a Level E?

Thinking of becoming a Level E sickened me. But becoming a vampire, the part of me -the rational side- accepted it as my future. To better protect the ones I loved, especially Yuki, I was willing to give up my humanity. However, I refused to be like Kaname. I didn't want to use people as a means to an end.

That was our difference. Kaname was a pureblood, royalty to his kind. He saw the world from on top. And being in such a high position alone, he needed to make the people below him do the things he couldn't outwardly do.

I, on the other hand, was an extra person in this world. I had knowledge of future events to my advantage and I was going to act alone to make everything right.

Ambitious, right?

I blinked my eyes. My hand touched the wall as I steadied myself in the hallway. Recalling further information Kaname told me, I blinked again.

The first part of my transition to become what I was, was difficult. My body couldn't handle his blood. The Level Es consumed too much blood from my body, leaving very little to mix with his blood.

My theory on the whole take was his blood was the most powerful and potent of purebloods that my body couldn't handle it well.

Kaname, originally, was an ancient one awakened by Rido.

And maybe that explained the reason I couldn't look or be in the same room as him. By instinct I knew no other power could measure to his. He was also one of Rido's mistakes. One I couldn't remedy easily.

Inhaling, I paused in the hallway. The bedroom doorknob gave away too easily from under my slight strength.

Everything was just too easy.

My red eyes darted left, then to the right side of the hallway. I lifted my head, inhaling through my nose. My senses felt sharpened now that I was out of the bedroom. I picked sweet scents of perfumes and colognes. I coughed and shook my head. I guessed vampires liked to make sure they smelled good and they didn't reek of blood.

I looked around. I was nervous. I was out in the hallway, too open. I had to be careful. If seen, I would be mistaken for a vampire hunter, an enemy to vampires. It would be like the time the beautiful blond female vampire dashed into the room and tried to attack me. If Ichijo wasn't there, who knew what would have happened.

I started to creep down the hallway, keeping all the weight purposely on my tip toes. Vampires had keen senses, so I couldn't take any chances. The hallway led to other hallways and closed doors. The first thought that ran through my mind was there were a lot of rooms. That meant there were a lot of vampires and more chances to get caught.

Turning to the window, I noticed the horizon had an orange hue. Nighttime was almost over and for vampires, the time for resting was coming near.

 _Darn it! They are going to be retiring in their rooms._

Yuki was trying to visit Kaname and it might be the time when he took her to his room. Their relationship would change. I couldn't let Yuki distance herself from him. She needed him.

I started to creep forward in one of the hallways when a sudden crackle and hiss stopped me. The hiss softened and then it was drowned out by voices. I turned my head to the sources. They were heading directly to me. Without thinking, my hand reached for the knob of a door behind me. With luck, it turned and the door opened easily. I slipped inside and, quietly as possible, I shut it.

Their voices were getting louder, high enough to penetrate the wooden door.

"Did you hear? There was a human girl who came into this building," the first male's voice said. "Takuma-san shooed her away."

"Is it the same girl who Kaname-sama is nice to?" a female voice asked.

"Yes," the guy answered.

"Why is he nice to her all the time? I mean she's human, she's beneath us," the girl said.

Another voice, a little higher and sounding younger then the other two replied, "Because she's the Chairman's daughter."

"I guess when you put it that way, that makes sense," the guy said. "After all the Chairman is making it possible for us to attend school normally."

"Look, let's get this straight," the second voice pointed out. "I'm only coming here because of Kaname-sama."

"I'm here for the same reason," the guy conceded.

"And you?"

"I was hoping to learn more about him considering that I am distantly related to a pureblood." I assumed the younger girl responded to their question.

But their conversation began to fade. I let them get a few steps away before opening the door. I waited an extra second before entering the hallway. Then I felt myself suddenly being slammed into a wall and a hard hand covered my mouth.

My eyes widened and my heart pumped wildly.

I was discovered.

A small female, looking to be as young as me, stood closely before me. Her long purplish-greyish hair fell over her slender shoulders. Her lavender eyes examined me with a piqued curiosity. My eyes flickered around her and instantly I noticed she was alone.

"My, my. What is a human doing walking the hall so early in the morning? Don't you know the other vampires are returning from their lessons?" she asked with a silky tone, so different from how she conversed with her friends.

The female vampire seemed familiar but I couldn't place her. It had been a long time since my coming into this world and the details of Vampire Knight faded from my mind, little-by-little.

Realizing I couldn't answer her, she hardened her stare. "I'm going to let you speak but you have to promise not to scream. If you do, then the others will come for you. Do you understand?"

I tried my best to nod at her.

Unhurriedly, she moved her hand away from my face, giving me air to breathe. My heart still pumped loudly, and my senses were frantic.

"Don't worry," she said as if she could sense my anxiety. "The others are gone."

"Are you sure?" I whispered back.

She bobbed her head, a smile overtaking her pretty face.

I let my guard down for a couple of seconds. If this vampire girl really wanted to hurt me, she would have done it by now.

"Going back to my question, why are you walking the halls at this hour?" she asked me. Both of her arched brows rose.

"I... I'm looking for someone." I decided to be honest.

"Who?"

"The human girl you talked about earlier, she's the one I'm looking for."

The female's eyebrows furrowed. "But she went home."

I shook my head. "She's here." I knew she was here in this building somewhere.

"She went home. Takuma-san saw her off, or at least that's what my friend said."

"She's here," I iterated.

The girl studied me again, her face turning serious. As if accepting my reason, she asked, "Where is she?"

I swallowed. Yuki in the anime was laying in Kaname's bed. If I requested the female vampire to take me to his room, would she do it? Kaname was greatly revered by his kind. A human asking to see their royalty, well... it didn't bode well for me.

"Where is she if you're so certain she's here?"

"Kaname-sama." I took a shot.

The female's pale eyes rounded. "In his room?"

It must have sounded like news but then again, which pureblood would have a human in his room?

I nodded.

The girl let out a breath and suddenly she smiled at me. "All right. I'll take you there."

"Really?" I didn't want to trust her.

"Yes."

Then shocking me further, she took my hand into hers, and pulled me into the direction that led to the pureblood's room.

She was... this was too easy.

I tugged at the hand. She didn't let go.

"We have to move quickly. The others are coming."

I was left with no other choice but to trust her, so I continued to follow her.

"What's your name?" she questioned me out of the blue.

I blinked. "What?"

Keeping her attention to where we were going, she asked, "Your name?"

Partially out of politeness and because she was doing me a favor I replied, "Nia."

"That explains it. You're the other daughter."

I remained quiet.

"I heard the Chairman has two daughters but oddly they are cousins, not sisters. Is one or both of you adopted?"

I didn't answer her question.

We continued walking. I lost track of time. In the end we stopped at two fancy doors. She looked at the doors strangely before letting me go. She turned to me. "Kurenai Maria," she said.

I blinked.

"That's my name, silly."

"Oh."

She tilted her head. Her eyes roved my form. She took a step toward me and I backed up feeling uneasy. She was quite a weird person. Serious one moment and the next playful. She was as bad as Aido.

She took another step, and then another until I hit a wall. What was it with me and walls?

She leaned in, her lips touching my ear. I shuddered and the need to bolt hit me strongly. As if reading my mind, both her arms extended, her hands splaying on the wall beside my head, caging me in. "Kaname-sama is temporarily distracted. If you go in quietly, he won't notice you."

She moved away, her pale eyes twinkling. "Good luck."

I stood there, struggling to breathe and comprehend everything.

"I hope we can be good friends. Also, it was nice chatting with you." She winked and she pivoted on her feet.

Her back became my viewpoint as she retreated. I blinked a couple of times, my eyebrows tugging together and then it dawned on me. I actually talked to her.

OoO

Zero fell asleep by accident in his room when he should have been awake and was making breakfast in the kitchen. Yuki didn't know how to fry eggs. She kept burning the frying pan with oil and once almost burned the whole house down. He had been quick to use the fire extinguisher. To put out the fire she threw hot water in an oily frying pan. Who would do such a thing? Oil with fire and water never mixed well.

He passed by the bedroom. He didn't see her on the bed or by her desk. He knocked on the bathroom door. No one responded. He went inside and washed his face with cold water. Then he made his way into the kitchen.

"Yuki?" he called out.

She wasn't in the living room. He opened a cabinet with all the cereals. Every box looked untouched.

He frowned.

Where did she go?

Narrowing his eyes, he let his vampire senses flare. She had sweet blood for a human. She was different from others in that sense. And he used that difference to search for her.

Only her presence couldn't be felt throughout the premise.

His lavender eyes widened.

The faculty dorm. He told her about it and she looked interested in it for some reason. It couldn't be Kaname. She proved she wanted nothing to do with him.

His eyes almost bulged. Nia.

Nia would be with Kaname.

He blew into full laughter. Yuki would do everything to bring her cousin back. He was pleased with her action.

"But she's still reckless like Nia," he said out loud.

Both girls were like peas in a pod. They couldn't do without each other. They reminded him of how he and his brother used to be. His light mood vanished.

Looking at the kitchen window, the sun was rising. The vampires would be returning from their supposed classes since the semester didn't officially begin for them yet. She was in danger.

He sighed. The girl learned nothing about vampires if she ventured early in the morning to the dorm. There was a reason he accompanied her everywhere.

Yes, he admired her tenacity to go after Nia. But she still had a lot to learn.

Throwing on warm clothes and tying his shoe laces, he dashed outside. The cool air lashed at him as he ran to the faculty dorm. He hoped both girls were okay.

OoO

Silently as possible, I cracked open one of the fancy doors and creeped into the room. The banging of my heart caused me to still. Kaname would be able to hear my heart. I had to slow it down.

Inhaling deeply, I forced out small amounts of air. This was a technique I used when I trained too hard and I had to calm down.

In the meantime, I examined my surroundings. The bedroom was lavishly furnished for royalty. It shouldn't come as a shock that the pureblood would be staying in an extravagant room. He was a Level A vampire and was the President of the Night Class dormitory.

The sunrays were shining into the bedroom. My eyes continued to take in the room until I stopped at a lump in the bedsheets.

Yuki! My heart thundered once more and I pressed fisted hands against my thighs to control myself. Now was not the time to make a mistake.

Cautiously, I snuck to the bed, thanking everything when the floor didn't creek under my weight. Then I sat on the edge of the mattress. It groaned or was that Yuki? My body froze. I waited fifteen seconds before I shifted to her.

Brushing the dark strands away from her face, I watched her with a tender smile. It was just the both of us in Kaname's bedroom. At least with him not here with us, things wouldn't change for the worse.

I was here to save Yuki. By saving her, I was saving everyone else.

"Kaname is yours," I whispered. I blinked and something wet trailed down my cheek. A hand went to my face. Pulling my fingers away, moisture trailed along my pointer finger. I was crying.

Why?

Did I miss Yuki that much?

How long had it been since I last saw her?

I desperately wanted to hug her. I missed her so much.

But that time would come. First, I had to wake her and get her away from the dorm. I peeled back the covers until it was at her waist and I found myself shaking my head. She didn't have the decency to wear a jacket or a coat in the cold.

That was Yuki. She constantly had to be reminded of things.

I could imagine the hell she put Zero through.

More tears trailed down my face.

"He also yours," I whispered to her. I bit my lip to prevent laughter from bubbling out of me.

"You deserve nothing but the best." She really did because she was such a good and tender-hearted person. And she was a princess.

Placing my hands on her shoulders, I gently shook her. "Yuki, sweety. Please get up."

She groaned and turned to her side. "Five more minutes," she grumbled.

My shoulders shook, and I tried my best to stifle my giggles. "Come on sweety, you need to get up."

"No," she grumbled.

With nothing else coming to mind, I lay flat out beside her. Our faces were to each other. "Yuki, sweety," I tried again.

Dark lashes swept upward and dazed chocolate orbs looked at me. "Am I dreaming?" she asked in a childlike voice.

"Nope."

She blinked again. Her eyes widening as her vision cleared. "Nia," she said.

I put a finger to my lips. Who knew how far Kaname was from his room?

One second she was staring at me with watery eyes. The next, she was on top of me and literally was crushing the life out of me. "Nia!"

"Ooofff! Yuki!" I whispered out loud. "Shush!"

She stilled when she realized she wasn't in her bedroom. "Where are we?"

"Kaname-sama's room."

She didn't like my answer. I frowned as she got onto her feet.

"Let's go," she said, surprising me.

"Umm... Okay."

I got up from the bed and pointed to the door. We were about to head toward it when I heard a feminine sound in the distance. Yuki halted, her eyes shifting to another part of the room.

"No, come on," I whispered. I knew what she was going to see and I had to stop her. My fingers wrapped around her small wrist.

"Kaname-sama," the girl whispered.

"Come on!" I dragged her and she relented. There was a thud and the sound of unhurried footsteps coming to us.

"Shit!" I wasn't one to use profanity, but this case called for it. I put myself before Yuki and hugged her as hard as I could. "Yuki, please. We have to get out of here."

The footsteps closed in on us. "Yuki, this is our only chance for me to come with you. If we don't leave now, I'll have to stay here."

As if my words registered in her mind, she moved out of my arms and headed straight for the exit while grabbing my hand. I didn't know why I craned my neck over my shoulder. Perhaps I wanted to see if the same thing occurred what happened in the anime. Or I was mistaken.

With better eyesight -due to the vampire blood flowing through my veins- I did not miss the glowing scarlet eyes peering at us from the darkness of an open doorway. It was the way those eyes watched us, the red fire -the bloodlust- emanating from them or the way the air became harder to breathe that frightened me. I could understand why Yuki ran away from Kaname and why she kept her distance from him.

She saw another side of him, a monstrous type of vampire from the one she loved.

As we continued running down the hallway, some of the doorways in the halls had stalking vampires. They must have sensed the commotion. Their eyes singed red, their fangs exposed. Yuki gasped and ran further. Her fear overtaking her, yet despite her panic, she made sure to keep holding my hand.

We made turns from one hallway to the next, ducked under vampires' arms or squeezed into tight spaces. I had a feeling they were more into scaring us then hurting us.

And finally, we made it to the main stairway. Below us was the exit. We gave our last energy, sprinting down the stairs. Everything else happened in a blur. We were racing to the door and the next moment we were outside, tumbling down more stairs. Our screams pierced the morning sky. I was frantically heaving air into my lungs but Yuki was fiercely struggling next to me. Turning my head to her while lying on the ground, a silver-haired boy tried to restrain her wild movements.

Zero. He was here. But my concern for my cousin made me focus on her. When he pinned down her arms and legs, he tried to get her attention. She was violently moving her head side-to-side. Her body in motion under him.

I sat up, just simply staring at the both of them.

"Yuki!" Zero called out to her. "Yuki, stop!"

She fought him until she tired out. Her body going limp. Finally, she looked up, and really saw him.

"Zero," she whispered.

He smiled, his eyes slightly softening. "Yuki, I thought you were going crazy."

"No, I wasn't but maybe I was." Her voice cracked.

His lavender eyes narrowed at her. "What in the world were you thinking to go into the faculty dormitory by yourself? Didn't I tell you not to go in their lair?"

"I wanted..."

"You are so stupid!"

And what shocked me more was her apology. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I just wanted Nia back with us, that's all." She actually apologized to Zero.

He let her go and awkwardly embraced her. His hand tapped on her back as she cried. If we weren't running from scary vampires I would have laughed.

But all I could do was stare aghast at the scene before me. Two things happened. One, the relationship between Yuki and Zero changed while I wasn't with them. And two, I failed to protect my cousin from the horror of vampires.

OoO

Anger seethed in him. His jaw tightened, his fist hitting the kitchen table. Both girls were extremely stupid for their rashness. Kaien was caught in the middle of their dispute. He was probably at the faculty dormitory apologizing profusely to the pureblood he hated.

As he viewed everything, he was vexed at the brunette for going into a dangerous place by herself after he warned not to. He was angry at the white-haired girl for not keeping her promise. And he was irritated at how Kaien had to make peace with the vampires.

He couldn't comprehend their reason for attending Cross Academy. There had to be an underlying motive. The damn pureblood didn't do anything to benefit others without looking after himself first and far most.

He walked out from the kitchen into the hallway. He was about to return into his room when he decided to hover by Yuki's bedroom. They purposely left the door open. He couldn't trust them not to pull another asinine stunt. He was going to keep a closer eye one the girls.

The blinds were pulled down darkening the room. On the bed laid two figures. Nia was lying on her side, her white hair surrounding her sleeping face. Yuki slept curled beside her. Her hands fisted in Nia's hair.

The anger receded as he watched both girls. Leaning against the doorframe with his hands crossed over his chest, his lips tilted upward by what he dared to think. They looked cute together.

"I want a picture," a voice gushed from right next to him. He started and then relaxed when the Chairman appeared by his side. "They're adorable together."

The silver-headed boy grunted.

Kaien elbowed him. "Don't you think?"

Zero shook his head.

"Aw, come on. They haven't seen each other for so long. This reunion calls for a party."

"Do whatever you want old man," the younger boy grumbled. He left the girls and walked into the living room. If he went into his own room, the Chairman would bother him to no end.

"Don't call me old. I'm not that old."

"Compare to us, you are."

"You're so mean Zero-kun."

"I was never nice in the first place."

"At least you can try to be nice."

The boy sat down on the couch and folded his arms across his chest. "No."

Kaien fell down to the floor. Tears were streaming down his eyes. "You're so cruel."

"When did you get back?" Zero questioned. His mood turning serious.

"Just now," the older man replied, taking a seat next to him.

"How did everything go in the faculty dormitory?"

The Chairman put a finger under his chin. "Well, things are okay for now."

"For now?"

"I proposed a deal."

"What kind?"

"One you won't like."

Keeping his arms folded, he bowed his head while his silver bangs covered his eyes. "What kind?"

"Well, if Yuki can walk in the Faculty Dormitory, then just about anyone -especially a human- can too. I proposed they increase their security."

His head lifted. His pale eyes flickered to the former vampire hunter. "How are they going to do that? Vampires can't keep watch during the day?"

"That's where security guards watching the front gates of the Faculty Dorm becomes necessary."

"Okay. Those rich bastards can afford spending their money for private security."

The ash blond moved his head in a negative motion. "There's more."

Zero raised both his eyebrows.

"I've decided to have prefects for Cross Academy, ones that can protect humans from discovering the Night Class are vampires."

Kaien's statement got the silver-haired boy started. "What are you thinking? You can't do that! You can't randomly pick Day Class students for a big responsibility!"

"That's why I propose you, Yuki and Nia to become prefects in the future for Cross Academy."

He stilled. His eyes widening. "You want me to protect vampires?"

The other man raised his hands in the air. "Zero-kun..."

"And you didn't have the decency to ask me or the girls first?"

"I-."

He rose to his feet, outraged. "I'm a vampire hunter! I hunt vampires and I kill them for a living! Yuki and Nia can't even fight to defend themselves."

"That's where you are wrong, Zero-kun."

His jaw tightened.

"Nia is under special training to fight and defeat vampires."

The silver-haired boy turned his direction to the hallway that led to the girls' room. "She spent this time getting stronger so she can protect the ones she loves," the ash blond man continued.

Zero didn't know how to feel. Anger still burned in him but he felt disbelief. "After becoming what she is, she's still willing to fight?" the boy asked, his tone lowering.

"Both girls want to fight."

He turned his head to ash blond man. Kaien took off his glasses to clean them with his shirt. "You should have still asked us," Zero said.

The older man put on his clean spectacles and sheepishly smiled. A hand rubbed the back of his head. "I was going to ask, eventually."

The child glared at him before walking away. "Next time ask. Don't go making decisions for everyone. That makes you the same as that stupid pureblood." And the last thing Zero wanted was Kaien to be like the vampires the private school was harboring. He still needed someone to trust.

OoO

I woke up to the greeting of darkness. Feeling an arm and leg draped over me, I turned my head. My lips cracked into a small smile when I saw Yuki sleeping next to me. Even in sleep she didn't want to let me go.

This sisterly relationship was going to make things a lot harder in the future.

In the end she would hate me.

I could only hope as we get older, she wouldn't need me as much.

I shifted my head until I was looking at the ceiling and then sighed. No negative thoughts. Now, that I returned home I wanted to make happy memories with my family. Give them laughter before all hell broke loose. It was the only gift I could offer them, until they came to loathe me.

I gritted my teeth. My nails dug in the bedsheets. I despised being related to the man who brought so much suffering to the people I loved. He was the reason we were at Cross Academy instead of living happy lives.

Rido Kuran.

I had to stop him.

I would stop him no matter what.

I would right the wrongs he made and the key was lying beside me.

I exhaled a breath and relaxed my hands.

A stirring in the shadows startled me causing my heart to quicken.

On reflex, I turned to the direction of the movement, my hand deftly removing Yuki's arm and leg from my person. I squinted my eyes, trying to peer in the darkness.

"I didn't mean to wake you," a voice popped out.

"Zero?"

There was a slight movement and I heard a whoosh.

I rose from the mattress. "Are you okay?"

"So you've come back finally." It was weird that he mentioned me coming back. Was he still angry? I noticed on our way back from the dorm, he didn't look at me. And the last thing I wanted was for him to be livid.

"I'm back. That's all that matters."

Moving closer to him, I could make out his frame. He shrugged his shoulders, his eyes watched me. I couldn't read his expression.

"I see you didn't miss me." I was trying to bait him.

"Who said that?"

"Your interaction with Yuki told me that."

His eyebrows rose. "Nia, are you jealous?"

"I'm not."

"Sounds like you are."

"Whatever gave you that impression, you better wipe it clean."

His lips curved upward. My goal was accomplished, the old Zero was back. "Actually, I like seeing you jealous."

His comment set my teeth on the edge. "I'm not."

"Looks like a hit a sore spot."

"I don't have time for this." I walked pass him. I figured there was no point in going back to sleep so I went for a cup of tea. He trailed after me, seeming in no hurry to stop me from entering the kitchen. I began opening cupboards in search of items to make tea.

"Will you like some tea?" I asked him over my shoulder. My back was to him when I pulled down two cups.

"Sure," he answered. He reached for the kettle, turned on the kitchen faucet and filled it. When he was done, he took off the water and put the kettle on the stove. I lighted the burner. Then I turned to him while he leaned against the kitchen table.

"Let me guess?" I folded my arms across my chest. "You are mad at me."

Not looking at me, his finger traced the side of the table. "What makes you say that?"

I sighed. Sometimes he could be difficult. "You didn't acknowledge me when we came home."

"I'm glad you consider this place your home."

"Zero."

"Once upon a time you didn't consider us family." He finally averted his attention to me. "Remember?"

I went on the immediate defensive. "You didn't call us family either."

"I still don't," he commented.

"Then what makes a family?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."

I exhaled a breath, my head turning to the side. I examined the kettle. "The reason I call Yuki family is because she was the only person who was there. She remembered my name when she couldn't recall anything else."

"You never said that before."

"I didn't think it was bizarre at the time because I remembered her too. But now, I can't help wonder how we knew each other when we forgot everything else."

"Do you have other childhood memories?"

I shook my head and then glanced at him. "What about you?"

"I can't recall much but what I can say is my childhood was unpleasant."

"You don't have to share."

My response got a smile out of him. The kettle started whistling and I set about making our tea.

"It's been a while since we sat down and drank tea."

"Yep," I answered. "But now we'll have more chances to drink tea and talk."

"Talk?" He laughed.

"What?" I finished make our teas. I put his on the table, opposite from where I was going to sit. Then choosing to ignore his amusement, I said, "You have to fill me in on what I missed."

"You didn't miss much," he said while shaking his head.

I pulled out my chair and sat down with the steaming cup in my hand. "Yuki didn't give you a hard time, right?"

There was a thoughtful expression on his face while he sat down in his chair. "She really missed you."

"Aw, come on. She couldn't have missed me that much." I sipped the sweet hot liquid and relished its taste. There was something about tea that could calm me down.

Zero gazed at me, his eyes serious. "You are the reason she went to the dorm."

I almost dropped my cup. Carefully placing it on the table, my eyelashes lowered. There was no way -Yuki was supposed to be looking for Kaname. Not me. "Stop kidding." I forced my tone to be jolly. "You know how she adores Kaname-sama. She went searching for him."

"To get to you," he finished.

My hands tightened around the cup. He couldn't be confirming one of the things I didn't want to happen.

"Are Kaname-sama and Yuki..."

"They're not talking and personally, I like it that way. She stood up to him." Did I hear admiration in his tone?

I sighed and looked up at Zero. "I guess I'm going to have to figure out a way for them to become friends again."

Suddenly the chair screeched against the kitchen tiles. My eyes shot up to him when he slammed his fists on the wooden table. Nervously, I glanced to the hall pass the kitchen, hoping the commotion didn't wake Yuki. "Are you serious? You and Yuki are better off without him! He brings nothing but misfortune!"

It was scary how perceptive Zero could be, especially looking pass his hatred for the pureblood vampire.

"But we need him."

"For what?" His tone got louder.

How could I begin to explain? Temporarily, I needed Kaname for his blood. Yuki needed him because they loved each other. And I wanted to keep everyone close because we were stronger together.

"You never thought about the future of Cross Academy?" I questioned him, making my voice soft.

"Yes, having vampires in it is a very bad idea."

"Exactly." I leveled my stare at him. "Think about this. Having the Night Class here will attract the wrong kind of attention."

He remained quiet.

"But if Kaname-sama is here, he can control the situation. He's a pureblood."

"That bastard is the reason the 'wrong attention' comes here in the first place."

"If he leaves, vampires will still come," I tried to reason with him.

"Then the Chairman can handle it. He's partially responsible for the mess that happened today and damn it, he's going to include us in his mess."

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

He stood up to his full height and turned his head away. "You should hear the proposal from him."

"No," I said. I rose to my feet and walked toward Zero. I captured his face with my hands and slowly angled his head until he was looking at me. "Tell me," I whispered.

"I can't."

"Please." I was losing him. "If this has to do with us, I need to know." I blinked, and I felt my eyes were stinging me. "I have a right to know."

Exhaling in defeat, his arms suddenly wrapped around me. "When he took you, everything changed."

I figured when Kaname took me there was a vast amount of changes -seeing that we moved our residency- but I had to learn the extent. "What changed?"

Zero hugged me tighter. "We're going to be guarding the Night Class from the Day Class. We're going to be prefects."

My red eyes rounded.

Then his face buried in the crook of my neck and I froze. His breath wafted against my skin. Feeling my cheeks redden and my pulse quickening, I squeaked, "Zero."

His lips moved to my ear. "I missed you, Nia."

 _Holy shoot!_

His hands moved up my back.

I was beginning to feel uncomfortable. He was supposed to be with Yuki. Not me and definitely not like this.

"Zero."

"Nia?" another voice interrupted us. Swiftly, he jumped back, leaving me stunned.

"What's going on?" I turned my head to Yuki who was wiping the drowsiness from her brown eyes.

"I..." Trying to compose myself, my eyes darted to Zero in hope he would help me out.

"We were having tea and trying to catch up on some old times," he finished while appearing unfazed.

"Oh," she said. She exchanged looks between me and the other boy. "I woke up to find you missing. I wanted to make sure you were still here."

Broaching a safer subject, my lips stretched across my face. "I am," I reassured her. "I'm going to stay here as long as you want me to."

Her smile made me feel better. I went to her, redirecting her to the living room, searching for an excuse to give me breathing distance from Zero. I needed to get my mind off what just occurred between us because, honestly, I had no intention of taking him from Yuki.

But as we were leaving the kitchen, I felt Zero's unnerving stare on my back.

* * *

 **A/N:** Please comment.


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Hello my lovelies. School has kept me busy but I'm here with a final chapter. ;)

* * *

Zero watched both girls from the kitchen doorway. His lavender eyes followed one of the girls in particular.

Nia.

Things changed. She changed. Somehow.

He couldn't pinpoint the differences in her, exactly.

He was left to assume.

Nia still cared for her cousin as he saw her put her arm around the brunette female in a soothing manner. She murmured gentle words to her. Her hand brushed softly through the girl's brown hair, careful not to tangle the strands. His eyes trailed her movement, the way her finger twirled a dark strand.

Perhaps it was the way she moved. Graceful, slowly, with a bit of a haunting quality. Her scarlet eyes had a luminous look.

The way she stirred, her actions seemed surreal, almost like she was a vampire.

He glanced down to the floor, mulling.

There was no way. His mind was playing tricks.

She was a vampire hunter. Shutting his eyes, he could smell her -her blood was delicious, tantalizing. The smell of pure heaven.

She smelled almost like one of them. A pureblood vampire.

His eyes shot open.

No way! She couldn't be one. She was human.

He shook his head, feeling so sure but...

He felt her gaze and his eyes lifted to hers.

Again, she looked different. Alluring. Her eyes captivating.

Even with the brunette leaning into her, Nia's eyes seemed to cast secrets.

Only vampires had charming traits to pull in their prey.

But, no, something was wrong. Nia wasn't a vampire. He could hear her heartbeat, the sensuous way her blood flowed through her veins. His eyes traced down the outline of her cheek to her neck. Her snowy hair parted, a patch of creamy skin showed.

Sharp tugs at his gums had him retreating from her. He hid in the kitchen, the wall separating them.

Damn, he was hungry and looking at Nia wasn't helping him.

If Yuki didn't distract them, he would have bit into her neck.

The fact she smelled delicious with her wide scarlet eyes and comforting voice... His thought strained to a safer one.

In the face of his anger, she calmed him. Her voice not once raising while her eyes darted to where the other girl might walk in on them during their talk in the kitchen.

Then she had to put her soft hands on his face, her eyes misty. The sadness and the signs of defeat in their depth, he found couldn't refuse her request.

She did change. He didn't know how. He heard rumors, very old and considered folklore -when some humans changed into vampire hunters, they displayed the quality of vampires. But not just any vampire. They had such appealing traits of purebloods.

They had been sought out, especially in the ancient war between vampires and humans.

The ones who existed changed and then died out.

She couldn't be one of them, right?

He clenched his hands into fists. His frame straightening with tension.

Hunger gnawed at him, pulling him from his contemplation.

Her fluster, the redness of her cheeks temporarily caused his lips to kick up in the corners. He got a reaction from her when she was usually so distant.

The tension drained from him. He was hungry. Hunger and her blood had built something inside him.

Shaking his head, he leaned his forehead against his hand. He needed to find Kaien quickly and feed or else he was going to do something he would regret -like go into the living room and bite her.

Swiftly, he exited the kitchen in search for the former vampire hunter.

OoO

My breath quickened as I secretly observed Zero from the living room. I could see him, his pale eyes staring but there were tinges of faint crimson reflecting at me and I realized he was hungry.

A part of me wanted to breathe in relief. I was reading more into our reaction in the kitchen. Zero wouldn't have feelings for me. I saw his closeness with Yuki. They were getting along.

I was here in Vampire Knight for the betterment of Yuki.

My primary goals were to protect her and defeat Rido.

I didn't have time to complicate things further with romance. Besides, Zero and Kaname were hers. I decided that a long time ago.

Zero pulled away and finally I was free from his gaze. Blinking several times, I heard Yuki's words.

What did I tell her?

"I couldn't sleep. I keep seeing their eyes and then you weren't there," she said.

Oh right, I was comforting her.

I breathed in, feeling dejected. I failed her. "They weren't going to hurt us," I told her. "They wanted to scare us."

"Their eyes, they look like the Level Es."

"They do."

"How are you not afraid of them?"

I wanted to tell her that I was scared of them, the vampires and the Level Es. But out of all them, Kaname was the most frightening one. The bloodlust in his eyes, I could see it clearly. I felt like he could devour me if given a chance.

I shivered.

"Are you okay?" she asked me.

I slightly shifted my head, blinking my eyes. "Yep. I'm just thinking that vampires are scary but I fight because I have something worth protecting. That gives me strength."

"I don't think have that courage. Even Zero is braver than me."

My finger that was idly curving a strand of her hair unwounded it and then I hit her forehead. My finger hovered, as I saw her eyes rounded.

She touched where I hit her as I let my hand fall into my lap. "Why?"

"You're only thirteen years and you're already being hard on yourself. Zero is a vampire hunter. He was trained to fight vampires from a young age. I'm no longer human, giving me a better chance to kick a vampire's ass." I smirked.

"That's not making me feel better."

"Instead of sitting here and wallowing in self-pity, let's do something?" I stood up from the couch and held out my hand to hers.

She hesitated.

"You want to get stronger right?"

She nodded.

"Then let's start training. I can show you a few tricks I learned from a great vampire fighter."

Her chocolate eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Yes," I answered.

She beamed. Her hand covered mine. We were going to train together and get stronger together.

But seeing her smile, I could understand why Zero and Kaname protected her. She was innocent, different from the rest of people who were faced challenges and lost the ability to smile. Despite her tragic past, she still retained a cheery disposition.

Her mother wanted her to experience the happiness and carefree life of a human. And now she was experiencing such a life, one which I had the privilege to be a part of, I wanted to make everything right.

Yuki pulled me to the yard.

Seeing her as a fragile human, I couldn't help but see Kaname and Zero too.

She was lucky. The man who loved her, chose to be the predator for her.

The other became a predator.

And both those men did it to keep her safe.

She was truly loved.

Smiling as she let me go, she showed me some of her moves. In her excitement, I noticed how her brown eyes lighted and her childish laughter filled the silence.

My head moved side-to-side in a slight manner. Why wasn't I jealous of her?

Perhaps at one point I was. But seeing her joy despite the darkness of everything, I found myself wanting to be happy too.

"Yuki?" I called her. She stopped in her eagerness, showing me how to punch someone. "Yep."

"You forgot something?"

"What?" She blinked owlishly at me.

I gestured at what we were wearing.

She put a hand to her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry! We should put on our jackets!"

I laughed as she dashed into the house. She would eventually come out wearing her jacket and with mine dangling in her arms.

OoO

"Nia?" Yuki's voice tried to rouse me from sleep. "Come on, Nia?"

The time shift in my sleeping schedule changed. I used to wake during the night hours and sleep during the day. Ichijo had set activities at night for me to train with Seiren and Kaname or to spend some time with him.

Now, I was waking early in the morning with Yuki.

"Nia? Please wake up."

She wouldn't linger long unless it was important.

Opening groggy eyes to look up at her was difficult with the sunshine glaring into her bedroom.

"Nia?"

"What is it, Yuki?" I asked tiredly.

I rubbed my eyes with my hands and kept them over my closed lids to block the light. The sunshine really did hurt my eyes.

I felt her lay down next to me. "Guess what?" she questioned in a cheerful voice.

Despite the unpleasantness from the sunlight, my lips stretched across my face. "What is it?"

She hit my shoulder playfully and I pretend to wince. "You're suppose to guess."

"Okay." I couldn't hide my smile. "It's our birthday."

"No."

"It's Mr. Grumpy birthday." I was referring to Zero.

"No!" she exclaimed but I heard her giggle.

"Kaien made us breakfast." I hoped with all my heart he didn't.

"No."

"Then I give up."

"Nia, you're no fun!"

"Sorry for being lame."

"You're not all that bad." I laughed.

"What is the news you so badly want to tell me?"

"Father said we can have a party to welcome you back!" she said excitedly.

I opened my eyes and peered at her through my fingers. The stupid sunlight made eyes burn. "You don't need to have one," I began to protest. I didn't like parties. It meant socializing with others and Yuki and I didn't know a lot of people besides the Night Class.

"He insists we have one and I agree with him."

Her words got me to rise up on the bed. "But why?"

She looked at me like I was the strangest person in the world. Then she hit my shoulder. "Because you're back with us!"

I blinked my eyes, tears escaping my eyes. She started to panic. "I-I didn't mean to make you cry!"

"It's not you. It's the sun," I said as I pointed to the windows.

"Ooh, I'm so sorry! I didn't think when I pulled back the curtains!" She got up from the bed and dashed around her room to close the curtains.

I couldn't help the smile on my face. She worried over such a petty matter and it was because of me. I shook my head. If she wanted to have a party, who was I to stop her?

"Okay, let's have this party," I agreed.

She stopped handling the curtains. "Really?" The hopeful expression on her face made me want to laugh.

"Yes," I reassured her. She dashed to me and gave me such a tight hug, I felt like I could barely breathe.

"So this is what you girls are up to," said another voice from the doorway. Yuki finally let me go. Her eyebrows drew together on her face. The brunette girl was truly clueless.

"We're not doing what you're thinking," I replied to the silver-haired boy, knowing his train of thought.

He smirked. "What are you insinuating, Nia?"

As if our not so innocent conversation dawned on Yuki, her cheeks reddened. "Zero!" she yelled. "How can you say such a thing?"

I burst out in laughter. Zero joined in, leaving the poor girl to exchange glances between us. When my joy subsided, I let my feet touch the floor. Raising my hands above my head in a simple stretch, I directed my attention to my cousin. "Okay, let's get prepared for this party."

"What party?" Zero questioned. It was his turn to be left out of the loop.

I smiled, but my smile was wicked. "You're going to have to find out from Kaien-sama."

He visibly flinched. He must be thinking that Kaien was going to cook some horrendous meals.

I walked up to him, my hands going to his side. Taking note of his distraction, I pushed him to the doorway and then I added more force to send him tumbling out of Yuki's room.

"We're going to change. That means you stay out."

He blinked his lavender eyes. His mind registered what I said and his face turned into the color of a tomato. I stifled more laughter behind my hand as I watched him awkwardly backed into a wall. Yuki closed the door and we both fell to the floor, our laughter bouncing off the walls.

OoO

Kaien, Zero, my cousin and I were at the market to buy stuff for the party. I watched as Zero kept his distance from Yuki and me and I couldn't help but think maybe I went too far in teasing him. Just seeing them again, I forgot how much time passed us. He was different than before.

I sighed. I would have to wait to apologize to him. Hopefully an apology would suffice.

Kaien instructed us to stop and then gave each of us a supply list. We were responsible for getting the materials on the list and since there were four of us, we would cover more ground quickly.

My eyes darted to Yuki. Was she going to be okay walking the market streets alone?

Zero went to her side and my lips tugged upward on my face. Of course, she was going to be fine. Kaien and Zero would never put her in danger.

Feeling the stiffness leaving me, I turned to go my own way. I knew to meet them by the limo once everything on the list was purchased. Scanning the words on the paper, I lifted my head to the different stalls. I paused and bought whatever was on the paper. When I bought everything, I was about to make my way back to the location of the limo until a white huge sign with black cursive letters "Flowers Signora" captured my attention. I had some leftover and getting a little present for my cousin sounded like a good idea.

I walked into the shop, a bell making noise at the threshold. Instantly, colorful flowers filled my vision. The place smelled really good. I blinked, surprised at my reaction. I was never into flowers, thinking flowers were for people into romance.

An old lady came my way. Her blue eyes studied me behind tiny spectacles. "Can I help you darling?"

"I'm looking for flowers," I replied while shifting the shopping bags in my hands.

"You can put those bags down on the floor dearie. There's no one else in the flower shop." She walked to me and helped me put some bags on the ground.

"Thank you."

"Don't worry about it. Are you having a party?"

"Yes."

She got glimpses of napkins, plates, and fruits from one bag. "Flowers are a great gift to give for..."

"It's not for a birthday. Rather it's a welcome back sort of party."

"Ah," the woman said. She pointed to a corner of her shop. "Those flowers are what I would recommend for a nice occasion."

"White and pink."

"Yes, they are great colors for any occasion."

"Yeah," I agreed. I walked toward the section she directed me and I let my hand slightly brush over some flowers. I prided in having some knowledge about everything but flowers sadly wasn't one area of my interest.

I halted in front of some pink flowers. My forefinger and thumb gently squeezed one of the pink petals. "This flower is so soft," I murmured.

"Yes, it's a rare type of flower. It only blossoms in the spring from Cherry Trees."

My eyes widened. "Cherry blossoms."

"You know it."

"But how?" Cherry blossoms were hard to maintain once picked from a tree. They lasted only a day or two before dying.

"These are special flowers. I was lucky to get a delivery this morning. I usually have to wait in the spring to get them."

Just by looking at them, I knew my cousin was going to love them. She liked flowers and had affinity to roses. But cherry blossoms were also one of her favorites.

"I can't afford them," I said while feeling sadness consume me. The thought of leaving such pretty flowers was disconcerting.

"How much do you have dearie?" the woman asked me.

I told her the amount and to my astonishment she took the money from my hand in exchange for the flowers.

"I can't," I began to protest.

"I can leave these cherry blossoms here and all they would know are these walls. Or I can give them to you, a pretty girl with a special occasion. And do not worry about money. I have a feeling these flowers were meant for you."

"But they're not for me."

The woman waved her hands in dismissal. "You know what I mean." She ended up packaging the pink flowers in a beautiful white paper. When I gathered all of my bags, she tucked the flowers safely in my arms.

"Thank you darling and you have a blessed day," she said as waved at me.

Glancing at her over my shoulder, I smiled in gratitude but I didn't pay attention to where I was going. I bumped into something or rather someone. Careful hands steadied me and I found myself blinking up at someone wearing a hood that obscured a face. A whoosh of air escaped me as I swiftly retreated from the person.

"Be careful miss," the stranger said, the voice sounding much like a teenage boy.

"Excuse me." I blinked my eyes at him. My eyes flickered around me. There were people around us but oddly they seemed to be passing us without noticing us.

The stranger lifted his face. The sunlight peered at the bottom part, revealing thin lips that lifted into a small smile. "You have beautiful flowers. Cherry blossoms isn't it?"

A cold wind swirled around us. Carefully, I nodded my head.

"They are beautiful like you." I blinked again, unsure how to answer him. A part of me wanted to bolt. Another part of me waited. He could have hurt me but he didn't. It seemed he wanted me to acknowledge him.

"Thank you," I found myself replying.

His smile vanished. "You should be careful. You shouldn't be walking alone, especially since you smell like him."

My eyes widened and this time I did take a few steps back. The person in front of me was clearly a vampire and he was walking around in broad daylight. My time at Cross Academy softened me.

He put his hands up. "I didn't mean any disrespect."

It was too late, he didn't attack me but his words alarmed me to the point I reacted. I turned around and sprinted toward the direction of the limo. While running and heaving air, I peered over my shoulder to make sure he wasn't following me. By the time I made it back to the vehicle, Zero and Kaien were putting their stuff in the trunk.

"Nia, it's about time," Zero said but one look at my face had him straightening up and moving toward me. His sharp eyes searched the vicinity. "Are you okay?" he asked when he didn't see anything threatening.

I nodded.

"Get in the car," the ex-vampire hunter instructed.

We listened without arguing. The silver-headed boy took my bags and deposited them in the trunk. I refused to give up my flowers as I went into the car. Yuki was already fast asleep in her seat. I took the seat next to her. The others got in and the ride became uncomfortable.

"What happened?" Zero was the one to break the silence.

I didn't answer.

"Nia, what happened?"

I clutched the flowers closer to me.

"Nia," I heard the silver-headed boy growled at me.

"Nothing," I whispered.

"We didn't see that," Kaien said.

I lifted my chin, looking straight into their eyes. I said my next words without wavering. "Nothing happened. Just leave it at that."

No one said a word after that.

OoO

The brunette girl couldn't understand why everyone was suddenly so serious. She awoken in the car to see that Nia stiffly got out of her seat and went into the house with blossoms safely tucked in her arms.

She had found it strange that her cousin was fixated on flowers when before she never cared for them. Yuki ran after her leaving the males to take care of everything else.

When Yuki entered the kitchen, Nia was arranging the flowers in a vase.

The brown-haired girl halted, taking in the vision of the lovely pink petals. "Cherry blossoms," she whispered. "And in such a weather."

"I know. They're a rare find. I got them for you."

Yuki's eyes rounded. She put a hand to her chest. "For me?"

Her cousin laughed. "Yes, for you. Who do you think I got them for?"

"Zero."

The white-haired girl laughed even more. "Him? Really? Imagine his face if we give him pink flowers as a present."

Yuki covered her face with both hands to hide her amusement. The subject of their conversation walked inside with a handful of bags. He glared at them. "Can I get some help?"

Nia smiled. "Of course." She strolled to him. Relief flooded his face. He was getting ready to give her the bags when she walked pass him.

"Nia!"

The white-haired girl's amusement twinkled into the house. Zero dropped his bags and chased her. Yuki continued to laugh as she watched the pair running around the whole household. Even their father didn't complain about them causing havoc. It had been a long time since the Cross residence experienced joy and now that Nia was back, everything seemed to be lighter.

OoO

Both girls were in charge of the decorations and cooking. Zero let out a sigh. He couldn't handle Kaien's cooking. He didn't know how Yuki stomached his food. The poor girl, she was too kind trying to please people. The welcome back party had been her idea to make Nia happy, which he had to go about learning the hard way.

His pale eyes drifted to them. He heard the brunette girl was singing some random song. He liked to hear her sing. On some mornings he would hear her making up lyrics while she poured herself some ceral.

Nia just listened while she moved all over the kitchen. The white-haired girl was in charge of baking a cake. Yuki paused in her tune. "I know, let's put on the radio."

The other girl shook her head. "I rather listen to you sing."

"Please," the brunette said. She clapped her hands together in a begging motion. "Pretty please."

"Okay," the other girl gave in way too quickly.

"You're the best!" Yuki pitched in. Her happiness caused her to bounce as she reached for the radio.

"You're only saying that," Nia muttered but Zero saw how she struggled to hide a smile.

"I mean it!" Then the music turned on and the brunette started dancing, her movements comical. Zero felt his lips tugging upward on his face.

"Come on, dance with me, Nia!" The girl motioned her cousin to join her.

"No." The answer was quick and quiet.

"Please, you can show me some moves."

The girl shook her head. Yuki became deflated. "This day is for you. All I ask is for you to dance."

The white-haired girl put her elbows on the table and rested her forehead in her hands.

"Pretty, pretty please."

"Fine." It seemed Yuki had a way of getting her cousin to do things.

Nia stood straight and walked into the center of the kitchen. For some reason Zero grew interested with the scene and he shifted on the living room couch so he could get a better view of the girls.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Yuki asked, sounding exasperated.

"I'm trying to listen for a beat."

"You just move your head."

"That's rock music."

"Okay, then move your hips."

There was silence except for the music.

"Come on Nia."

"No."

"You said you were going to dance."

"I have to get back to the cake."

"Nia!"

"Fine."

She stood there and then her head turned to him. He almost fell out of his seat. "I won't dance if Zero's not dancing."

"What?" he questioned out of taciturn.

"You heard me, Zero."

Her scarlet eyes narrowed on him. Yuki, liking the idea, came to him. Instantly, he jumped out of the couch, intending to hightail it out of the living room but Nia appeared behind him. Her eyes were huge and luminous. He swallowed. Both girls had him cornered and they dragged him to the kitchen.

"You're going to dance."

"No," he said.

"Oh come on, a vampire who can't dance. That's a first timer." Nia's voice sounded taunting and something inside of him wanted to prove her wrong.

He grabbed the girl's hand with a tight grip, one she couldn't break so easily, he brought her to him. A clear challenge presented in his lavender eyes. "I will dance only if you do."

She lifted her eyebrows. "Okay, but the guys always lead in a dance."

He froze. Dancing was one area he disliked. He had no reason to show any interest in the past.

"Come on." Nia's voice broke through his haze.

He swallowed before tentatively moving.

"Seriously, that's not dancing," Yuki answered in the background.

"It goes something like this," the other girl said. She curved an arm around his shoulder, the one he wasn't holding. Her hold positioned her in front of him, almost to the point that their bodies were touching. His heart began to pound. He found himself looking at anywhere but her. "Follow my lead." She shifted to the left. He easily glided with her. Then she moved to the right. He followed her pace. Eventually, he let go of her hand as he tried to concentrate on their next steps.

"See, dancing isn't so hard," she said. She was beaming at him, her face more beautiful then he could remember, and then he was stumbling and falling over his feet. Yuki caught him and helped him up. Why was he jumpy over a girl he viewed as a friend?

"Now, it's your turn," she said to her cousin. Yuki switched places with Nia. Standing in front of him, the smaller brunette shyly clasped her hands at the back of his neck. Unlike her cousin though, she waited for him to lead. He moved to the left and then the right, the girl tried her best to keep up with him. He adjusted his pace so she wasn't stepping on his feet. As he looked down into her chocolate eyes, he could see the joy shining in their depths.

"Very good," Nia said. His eyes shifted from Yuki to her and he saw the same expression on her face, the same bright smile that she finally gave him. His heart was thumping a mile in his chest, he averted his eyes to two tall figures standing by the kitchen doorway. Instantly, he stilled. Then he stumbled away from the brunette girl, feeling like he was caught for doing something wrong.

The brunette girl was stunned. "Kaname-sama," were the only words she could form.

"Yuki," the pureblood vampire said with ease.

The music stopped, giving Zero some time to compose himself. The action, however, didn't stop the apprehension filling into the kitchen. All eyes locked on Nia as she moved away from the radio. Her hands clutched tightly on the hem of her shirt before she bowed gracefully in front of the pureblood. The silver-haired boy gritted his teeth.

Who invited the damn pureblood vampire to the party?

As if his question was answered, Kaien chose that time to scratch the back of his head nervously. "Ah, my children, I had to see Kaname-sama for some business and I told him about our party. I invited him to tag along."

"We didn't invite him," a girly voice said, causing all the eyes to land on an unexpected person. Although, she was slightly trembling, she stood strong in front of her cousin who barely lifted herself from her bow. "This party is only for family. You're not a part of our family."

Her words meant to hurt the pureblood. But Zero doubted that anything could harm him. The vampire didn't have a heart. He did everything his way and everything else fell into his line.

"Yuki, is that how you feel?" There was a slight inflection in his otherwise commanding and cool tone.

The silver head had to do a double take at the wounded look in the pureblood eyes.

"You took Nia from us," the girl affirmed. "If I didn't... then she... I would." The girl shook her head. "No more. Just leave us alone."

The tall vampire walked toward her and Zero intervened. He stood before both girls. "You heard her. Leave," he growled.

Something flickered in the dark depths of the pureblood eyes and it took everything in Zero not to visibly shudder before the powerful vampire.

"I'll see myself out," the pureblood said in his detached way.

Kaien, who seemed astonished at the turn of events, broke out of his stupor. "Wait, I'll walk you out."

"There's no need."

"Yes, there is and I'll make sure to give my children a good scolding."

"There's no need to scold them. I interrupted a family event, somewhere I don't belong." He turned and walked away, leaving the ex-vampire hunter to trail after him with apologies.

"Yuki," Nia whispered. "Don't you think you were hard on him?"

He and the brunette girl peered at the white-haired girl. She was pale, her skin almost as white as her hair. Yuki put a hand on her forehead. Her face scrunched. "Are you feeling okay?"

The girl gently brushed her cousin's hand away. "Weren't you being unfair to Kaname-sama?"

"He took you from us and he didn't give me an answer as to when I'll see you again when I asked."

The white-haired bobbed her head. "That was my fault. You see, at the time I was still healing..."

"Stop lying. You wanted to return to us. Why else did you come back here?"

"I came back for you."

"Exactly," the brunette girl finished. "That's why I won't forgive him."

Yuki went to clear the kitchen table while Zero examined Nia. There was a faraway expression on her face. He disliked Nia having a cast-off look, like she was there but her mind wasn't. He was going to change that. He walked up to her, grabbing her hand. Her eyes blinked, his image becoming clear in her scarlet hues.

"Come," he said simply.

"Where?"

"You'll see."

He walked by the front door, still seeing both males through the window. "Put on your shoes and a jacket."

She nodded her head but her eyes drifted to Yuki.

"Don't worry, what I want to show you won't take long," he reassured her.

She quickly put on her boots and shoved her hands through the long sleeves of her jacket. The moment they were both dressed, he called out to the brunette girl to join them outside.

The other girl responded with a "yes."

Then he was grasping Nia's hand and pulling her outside and away from Kaien and the pureblood vampire. He didn't care if they saw him leaving with Nia. As long he was there for either of the girls, they were safe.

They continued trekking until their boots made crunching sounds on the snow. "We're here." He halted before a huge tree, one he noticed when Kaien first moved into the Cross residence. He found it was a wonderful place to relax, to get away from stress.

"It's a tree," Nia said. "A picturesque looking tree." His lips tugged upward. He looked at the white-haired girl while she was too caught taking in the old and large tree.

"You should see it in the spring time."

A few seconds later, her eyes widened. "No way." She turned to him, wonder kindling her dark eyes. "Cherry blossoms."

"I saw the blossoms in your arms earlier and those flowers reminded me of this tree." Had he known she liked cherry blossoms, he would have showed her the tree in the spring, when the flowers were at their peak of beauty.

She slightly shook her head, "Those flowers, I don't know what got into me." She looked away from him. "I saw them and I became transfixed."

The way she was staring at the tree, she reminded him of another person. A tall, elegant woman with long snowy hair. Her head tilted back, her profile majestic as she stared longingly at a cherry blossom tree. The petals fell around her form, casting a haunting image.

He blinked his eyes while moving his head side-to-side. Where in the world did Hio's image come from? Nia and the pureblood female, the only one he ever admired, looked alike but there was no connection.

"Are you okay?" the girl with hair the color of snow asked him. Concern marred her pretty face.

"I'm fine." He made sure to answer her quickly. Usually, he could confide in her but this was one secret he had to keep.

"Okay." She didn't look convinced, but she didn't push him to share either. That was why he liked her.

"Nia! Zero!" Yuki shouted, catching up to them. By the time the brunette reached them, she was heaving lung full of air.

"It's snowing," Nia remarked. All three of them looked into the gray sky, their eyes blinking in unison at the soft flurries.

"Wow!" Yuki exclaimed. "It's beautiful!"

An idea emerged in Zero's mind. He smirked, clearly predicting the girls' reactions. He bent down fleetingly and picked a handful of snow. Straightening himself up, he shifted to Yuki as if to pat her hair. Nia's eyes rounded, a warning about to escape her mouth, but the snow from his hand tangled with Yuki's hair.

She gasped in horror, her mouth opening and then closing like a fish. He chuckled at her shock.

Nia tried her best to soothe her cousin but Yuki glared at him. Revenge burned in her chocolate eyes. "Zero, you're not going to get away from me!" she yelled. "And Nia, you better help me!"

"I don't want to be a part of..."

Zero with lithe, grabbed another handful of snow and threw it at the white-haired girl. By the time she saw the snow going to her, she didn't have time to dodge. The snow landed on her face. She brushed the snow off her forehead and cheeks with her gloved hands, her expression turning grim. "Zero," she warned.

"Both of you can't defeat me."

"We'll see about that," she returned. Both girls reached for their snow. The silver headed boy retreated a few steps. He could sense he was in danger. Then they gave chase, snowballs were flying in his direction and each one missed him.

He barked in laughter, their aims were terrible.

Too invested with slowing down and making little effort to evade the snow being pelted at him last minute, he never noticed another person sneaking behind him. Only Yuki's vengeful smile was the hint and then he felt something cold and wet pressed against the back of his neck. Instantly, ice streamed down his back making him wheeze.

Nia stepped aside, her laugher twinkling in the wind. "That's what you get, Zero."

His eyes narrowed. "You're going to pay for that."

Her scarlet eyes widened. Good. She had a world of trouble to be worried about. He started after her, seeing the way she picked up speed despite the snow. So her true colors were beginning to show. It was why he decided to have a snowball fight. He wanted to see what the girls could do, especially Nia since she was getting special training in honing her new abilities as a vampire hunter.

As he was running after Nia, Yuki was dashing after him. Their game was a way of training but it was another way for all of them to have fun.

OoO

"I'm so sorry," Kaien couldn't stop apologizing for his children's behavior. Kaname was astounded. He didn't take Yuki's words to heart and now he regretted not listening to her. He shouldn't have taken Nia, even if he was doing it purposely to save her life. Yuki and Nia were very close, it would take more to sever their bond.

He was still waiting for the limousine, when he saw snowflakes fluttering from a gray sky. But instead of screams, laughter was carried by the cold winds and unable to stop himself, he strolled to where the noises came from. The ash blond man followed him without question. They both stood on a hill, overseeing the rest of Cross residence. His red-brown orbs took in everything -the snow, the trees, the gray sky, the three children running around without a care in the world.

His precious girl was chasing Zero. Her face was bright with happiness, just the way Juri and Haruka wanted her to be.

Zero continued to pursue the other girl. She was good at evading him, just the way she trained with Seiren. He found himself smiling as she moved, with fluid ease, controlling the situation.

Already she was showing signs of a true pureblood.

And then she let herself be caught. His eyes narrowed as the boy hugged her from behind. The boy lifted the girl off her feet. He was aware she could easily break from his grasp but she chose to be in her predicament. Her head swung back, her snowy hair flapped in the wind. Her creamy throat was exposed.

He sensed the change immediately. The boy's eyes were on her pulse. Kaname's hand clenched into a fist while his face remained stoic.

"At least they're having fun," the former vampire hunter said. Did he miss the boy's action? Or was he pretending not to see the change?

Then Yuki, in all her innocence, bumped into them. Her piles of snow falling on them, making them break apart. Nia shrieked while Zero grunted. Kaname felt his body relaxed and a rare smile spread across his handsome face.

"Yes, they are," he replied nonchalantly.

"Perhaps they can stay together." Let them bask in whatever was left in their childhood.

"Yes."

"Really, Kaname-sama?"

"Yes."

"Thank you! Kaname-sama, really thank you so much!" Nia would stay with Yuki and the annoying boy. The ash blond man started to dance. Whoever knew what was going on in his mind.

The pureblood assessed the remainder of the scene from the distance as the white-haired girl clutched Yuki's and Zero's hands. She was in the middle, the center that linked them together. "Thank you," he could hear the ghost of her words with his heightened senses. "For everything."

Dismay washed over him, seeing the three of them together. He would never be a part of their world. He could only witness their lives and protect them from the shadows.

Letting the sadness settled within him, he turned around and walked away. Kaien was too busy delightfully humming and skipping to his tune ahead of him.

OoO

I had lost so much from my previous life, taking advantage what I had and always asking for more. This time I wasn't going to make the same mistake. I had two important people with me. I wanted them to be happy and in return their happiness would be my contentment.

I was going to make them laugh more. I would try my hardest to make light of every situation.

I clutched Zero's and Yuki's hands as we looked up into the gray sky. My world began in a similar setting but this time I wasn't afraid or confused.

"Thank you." I was saying a pray to the heavens above. For family. For a second chance. "For everything."

The others were quiet. Their heads bowed and their eyes were closed as they said their prayers. I stifled my mirth in seeing Zero so intent on his thanks. Earlier, he was adamant on saying grace.

I craned my necked over my shoulder and I could have sworn I saw a lone figure on the hills.

Could that be Kaname?

I diverted my attention to the sky, blinking the flurries out of my eyes. Then my eyelids drifted shut and I made a last prayer. _I wish Kaname-sama can find peace._

OoO

Two figures walked stealthily out of the darkness of the trees. Tonight was calm with the moonlight streaming through the windows of the Cross residence. The smaller figure of the two lifted her head. Her long purplish-greyish slithered behind shoulder with the slight movement. A smile flickered across her pretty face as her twinkly blue eyes raised to a bedroom window.

The other one, taller than the female, turned his head. His ponytail swayed causing a high pitch sound. "How long do we have to wait?" he asked. "How much suffering is she going to endure if she stays with them?"

"Patience, Ichiru-kun," the female vampire said. "We can't pluck her from the group while she's green."

He gritted his teeth, his hand balling at his thigh. He wasn't dressed like the other vampires, with the Night Class uniform. Instead, he wore black clothes so he could blend in with the shadows.

"She needs to learn who she is. If we take her now, everything will go against our plan," she warned her companion, feeling his frustration. "Until then stay in the shadows and protect her."

"But we are letting her expose herself to danger?"

"She needs to stay a little longer with Kaname-sama. His blood is going to save her and when she ripens, our princess will return to us."

Her last statement put the male at ease. Both figures stayed outside while they observed the window where their slumbering princess lay. "Let's go," she said. Pivoting on her feet, she melted back into the darkness.

The male stayed where he was for a moment, his silver eyes flashing crimson. "Please remember me, Nia-sama."

Then he turned, his tall form retreating into the shadows of the trees. A sound of a bell rang into still air of the night.

OoO

I awoke, apprehension stirring my senses. I squinted in the darkness of the bedroom. The moonlight streaming through the window provided enough light for me to see there was no one but me in the room.

I lay back down, my chest heaving, my skin feeling sticky from dried up sweat. I had another dream. This one was bloody and someone was calling my name.

I heard it then, a high pitch sound coming from outside.

The sound was so familiar that I found myself on my feet, heading toward the window. A hand lifted to the windowpane, the warmth from the appendage causing a handprint to fog against the cool surface. A figure moved and I blinked my eyes in disbelief. I could have sworn someone moved into the trees and there was a spark of gold behind him.

The sound, it reminded me of a bell.

Why did it sound so memorable?

My head began to hurt. Pins and needs stabbed at my skull simultaneously to the point the stabs sharpened and I fell to the floor. Both my hands clutched my head as the pain became overwhelming. I cried out.

Then someone barged into the room, switching on the lights. My eyes shut as streams of tears fell down my face. The pain in my head was excruciating. I was screaming. Behind my eyelids, I could see red.

In my mouth I could taste the metal.

Something firm wrapped around me, keeping me in place while my fingers dug into my head. I was crying out in agony, hoping that it would end.

What felt like an eternity, the pain subsided leaving me sobbing against a solid chest.

The person let me cry. "Nia."

I let my guard down but I couldn't bring myself to care. All I cared for was the person who was offering me their warmth.

"It's going to be okay," the voice crooned into my hair.

I just cried.

There were other voices behind him.

"Everything is going to be okay," the first voice said soothingly in my hair.

Zero. The others.

I was grateful to them for being here. And I wished everything was going to be okay but what I saw outside and the sound, I knew things was far from all right. The events in Vampire Knight was just beginning.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for coming this far in your journey as a reader. This chapter marks the end of the childhood series for Nia, Yuki, Zero and to a certain extent Kaname. I end, though, with a lot of open ended questions. The next chapter will be when Nia, Yuki and Zero attend Cross Academy as daytime students.

I noticed I received some reviews about Nia's character. I'm actually writing another Vampire Knight fanfiction with an OC character that is opposite from her. I called it "Blood Ties." Maybe you might like that story. ;)


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